David Luiz vs David James: Stats Compared
Centre-Back, Brazil (born 1987, retired 2023) · Goalkeeper, England (born 1970, retired 2014)
Set David Luiz alongside David James and the numbers start an argument of their own. Strikers are judged on goals, and on that raw currency both men delivered extraordinary returns. Across his senior career David Luiz notched 35 goals in 650 appearances (0.05 per game), while David James recorded 0 in 850 (0.00 per game). Assists were not reliably tracked for much of their careers, which makes the playmaking comparison an imperfect one; where records exist, David Luiz is credited with 25 and David James with 0. David Luiz departs the game with 6 major pieces of silverware, including 1× UEFA Champions League (2012); David James with 1, including 1× FA Cup (2008). Where David Luiz was a anticipatory presence in the box, David James offered a sweeper-keen approach to goalscoring. Their routes to the top were distinct: David Luiz built his reputation across Vitória, Benfica, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, Arsenal, Flamengo, peaking around 2013, while David James reached his defining level around 2005 after spells with Watford, Liverpool, Aston Villa, West Ham United, Manchester City, Portsmouth, Bristol City, Bournemouth. Greatness, in cases like this, is rarely a zero-sum affair.
190 words · comparison angle: goalscoring
Player profiles
An eccentric, unpredictable Brazilian centre-back famed for his wild hairstyles and thunderous free-kicks, David Luiz won trophies across three major European leagues.
“An unorthodox, high-risk centre-back who combined bold attacking instincts and a huge shot with occasionally erratic positioning.”
The Premier League's most-capped goalkeeper at the time of his retirement, James was renowned for his shot-stopping and occasional highlight-reel errors across a two-decade top-flight career.
“An athletic, agile shot-stopper whose reflexes and command of his box made him a mainstay of English goalkeeping for two decades.”
Head-to-head stats
Career goals by season
Representative career seasons — goals per season for each player across their documented clubs.
Attribute radar
Attribute ratings are peak-era, 0–100. Different positions naturally skew the profile.
Attribute comparison
Trophy breakdown
- 1× UEFA Champions League (2012)
- 2× UEFA Europa League (2013, 2019)
- 2× Premier League (2015, 2017)
- 1× FA Cup (2018)
- 1× FA Cup (2008)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 2006 Professional debut for Vitória
- 2012 Won UEFA Champions League with Chelsea
- 2018 Won FA Cup with Chelsea
- 2013 Reached the peak of his powers at Chelsea
- 2023 Retired after a final spell at Flamengo
- Finished his career with 35 goals in 650 appearances and 6 major honours. Finished his career with 35 goals in 650 appearances and 6 major honours.
- 1988 Professional debut for Watford
- 2008 Won FA Cup with Portsmouth
- 2005 Reached the peak of his powers at Manchester City
- 2014 Retired after a final spell at Bournemouth
- Finished his career with 0 goals in 850 appearances and 1 major honours. Finished his career with 0 goals in 850 appearances and 1 major honours.
The verdict
Taking goals, assists, silverware and overall profile together, David Luiz takes it by a decisive margin.
David Luiz edges it (a decisive margin)
