Just Fontaine vs Predrag Mijatović: Stats Compared
Striker, France (born 1933, retired 1962) · Striker, Yugoslavia (born 1969, retired 2004)
Line up Just Fontaine next to Predrag Mijatović and the contrasts come quickly. Separated by their years at the top, each defined the football of their own generation. Just Fontaine finishes with 200 career goals from 300 games — a 0.67 strike rate — against Predrag Mijatović's 210 from 500 at 0.42 per match. Assists were not reliably tracked for much of their careers, which makes the playmaking comparison an imperfect one; where records exist, Just Fontaine is credited with 0 and Predrag Mijatović with 30. Just Fontaine departs the game with 5 major pieces of silverware, including 3× Ligue 1 (1955, 1958, 1960); Predrag Mijatović with 2, including 1× UEFA Champions League (1998). Across the post-war golden age and the 1990s respectively, their ruthless and ruthless styles captured the spirit of very different footballing times. Their routes to the top were distinct: Just Fontaine built his reputation across USM Casablanca, Nice, Reims, peaking around 1958, while Predrag Mijatović reached his defining level around 1998 after spells with Budućnost Podgorica, Partizan, Valencia CF, Real Madrid, Fiorentina, Levante. Each, in his own way, set a standard the other is measured against.
190 words · comparison angle: era
Player profiles
Fontaine's record of thirteen goals at the 1958 World Cup remains the highest single-tournament tally in history, a feat many consider unbreakable.
“An explosively quick, clinical striker whose finishing instincts produced goals in bunches over a tragically short career cut down by injury.”
Mijatović's decisive winning goal in the 1998 Champions League final ended Real Madrid's 32-year wait for the European Cup and remains one of the club's most iconic moments.
“A clever, mobile striker whose intelligent runs in behind and composed finishing produced goals in the biggest moments.”
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
- 3× Ligue 1 (1955, 1958, 1960)
- 2× Coupe de France (1958, 1961)
- 1× UEFA Champions League (1998)
- 1× La Liga (1997)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1950 Professional debut for USM Casablanca
- 1955 Won Ligue 1 with Nice
- 1958 Won Coupe de France with Reims
- 1958 Reached the peak of his powers at Reims
- 1962 Retired after a final spell at Reims
- Finished his career with 200 goals in 300 appearances and 5 major honours. Finished his career with 200 goals in 300 appearances and 5 major honours.
- 1986 Professional debut for Budućnost Podgorica
- 1998 Won UEFA Champions League with Real Madrid
- 1997 Won La Liga with Real Madrid
- 1998 Reached the peak of his powers at Real Madrid
- 2004 Retired after a final spell at Levante
- Finished his career with 210 goals in 500 appearances and 2 major honours. Finished his career with 210 goals in 500 appearances and 2 major honours.
The verdict
On balance Just Fontaine edges the comparison. The margin is a clear margin, decided mostly by a weightier trophy cabinet.
Just Fontaine edges it (a clear margin)
