Rio Ferdinand vs Teófilo Cubillas: Stats Compared
Centre-Back, England (born 1978, retired 2015) · Attacking Midfielder, Peru (born 1949, retired 1989)
Comparing Rio Ferdinand with Teófilo Cubillas means weighing two very different kinds of greatness. Goals are the coldest, hardest metric in football, and both players stockedpile them. Across his senior career Rio Ferdinand notched 23 goals in 784 appearances (0.03 per game), while Teófilo Cubillas recorded 220 in 500 (0.44 per game). Reliable assist tallies simply do not exist for large stretches of their careers, leaving creativity to the eye rather than the spreadsheet. Trophy counts give Rio Ferdinand 11 and Teófilo Cubillas 4, with 1× UEFA Champions League (2008) and 4× Peruvian Primera División (1967, 1969, 1970, 1978) the standout honours respectively. Where Rio Ferdinand was a uncompromising presence in the box, Teófilo Cubillas offered a creative approach to goalscoring. Their routes to the top were distinct: Rio Ferdinand built his reputation across West Ham, Leeds United, Manchester United, Queens Park Rangers, peaking around 2008, while Teófilo Cubillas reached his defining level around 1978 after spells with Alianza Lima, FC Basel, Alianza Lima, FC Porto, Fort Lauderdale Strikers, Alianza Lima. The honest conclusion is that comparison enriches appreciation rather than crowns a single winner.
185 words · comparison angle: goalscoring
Player profiles
English centre-back and the world's most expensive defender when he joined Manchester United in 2002; six-time Premier League winner.
“A ball-playing, athletic centre-back whose pace and recovery underpinned Manchester United's defence.”
Peru's greatest ever player, Cubillas remains the only man to score five goals across two separate World Cups, inspiring Peru's celebrated 1978 side.
“A quick, two-footed attacking midfielder renowned for a ferocious long-range shot and clever dribbling in tight spaces.”
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 (2008)
- 6× Premier League (2003, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013)
- 3× EFL Cup (2006, 2009, 2010)
- 1× FIFA Club World Cup (2008)
- 4× Peruvian Primera División (1967, 1969, 1970, 1978)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1995 West Ham debut
- 1996 Loan to Bournemouth
- 2000 Signed for Leeds for a record defender fee
- 2002 Joined Manchester United for a record British fee
- 2008 Champions League winner in Moscow
- 2011 Succeeded Ryan Giggs as Manchester United captain briefly
- 2014 Left Manchester United for Queens Park Rangers
- 1966 Professional debut for Alianza Lima
- 1967 Won Peruvian Primera División with Alianza Lima
- 1978 Reached the peak of his powers at Alianza Lima
- 1989 Retired after a final spell at Alianza Lima
- Finished his career with 220 goals in 500 appearances and 4 major honours. Finished his career with 220 goals in 500 appearances and 4 major honours.
The verdict
Weighing production against honours, Rio Ferdinand takes the verdict — a decisive margin, driven by a weightier trophy cabinet.
Rio Ferdinand edges it (a decisive margin)
