Eusébio vs Raymond Kopa: Stats Compared
Striker, Portugal (born 1942, retired 1978) · Forward, France (born 1931, retired 1967)
Eusébio versus Raymond Kopa is a clash of two unmistakable footballing identities. Reputations harden into legacies, and few careers cast longer shadows than these two. By the end Eusébio had 623 goals from 715 caps and club outings; Raymond Kopa had 150 from 450. Because assists were not systematically tracked for much of their time, that side of the comparison rests on the footage that survives. In major honours Eusébio collected 9 — headlined by 1× European Cup (1962) — whereas Raymond Kopa amassed 5, led by 3× European Cup (1957, 1958, 1959). History will file Eusébio under flair-driven greatness and Raymond Kopa under ruthless greatness — different shelves, same temple. Club journeys add another layer, with Eusébio reaching his representative peak around 1965 across Benfica, Montréal Manic and Raymond Kopa doing so around 1958 with Angers, Reims, Real Madrid, Reims. Picking between them says as much about the picker as the players.
153 words · comparison angle: legacy
Player profiles
Eusébio da Silva Ferreira (25 January 1942 – 5 January 2014), nicknamed the "Black Panther", the "Black Pearl" and "o Rei" ("the King"), was a Portuguese footballer who played as a striker. He is considered one of the greatest players of all time and Benfica’s greatest player. Known for his speed, technique, athleticism and right-footed shot, he became one of football’s most prolific goalscorers.
“A powerful, explosive striker who combined pace, technique and a thunderous shot.”
France's first football superstar and 1958 Ballon d'Or winner, Kopa won three straight European Cups alongside Di Stéfano at Real Madrid before returning to lead Reims.
“A diminutive, dazzling dribbler and creator whose vision and close control made him the conductor of every attack he played in.”
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× European Cup (1962)
- 3× European Cup (1957, 1958, 1959)
- 2× Ligue 1 (1953, 1960)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1957 Established himself at Benfica
- 1961 Reached his defining peak
- 1965 Delivered a landmark season
- 1978 Retired from professional football
- 1949 Professional debut for Angers
- 1957 Won European Cup with Real Madrid
- 1953 Won Ligue 1 with Reims
- 1958 Reached the peak of his powers at Real Madrid
- 1967 Retired after a final spell at Reims
- Finished his career with 150 goals in 450 appearances and 5 major honours. Finished his career with 150 goals in 450 appearances and 5 major honours.
The verdict
On balance Eusébio edges the comparison. The margin is a decisive margin, decided mostly by a sharper goalscoring record.
Eusébio edges it (a decisive margin)
