Diego Forlán vs David James: Stats Compared
Striker, Uruguay (born 1979, retired 2019) · Goalkeeper, England (born 1970, retired 2014)
Comparing Diego Forlán with David James means weighing two very different kinds of greatness. Where pure finishing is concerned, this is a shootout between two of the most feared marksmen of their time. The raw numbers read 315 goals in 650 outings for Diego Forlán (0.48/game), versus 0 in 850 for David James (0.00/game). Assists were not reliably tracked for much of their careers, which makes the playmaking comparison an imperfect one; where records exist, Diego Forlán is credited with 90 and David James with 0. In major honours Diego Forlán collected 3 — headlined by 2× UEFA Europa League (2010, 2012) — whereas David James amassed 1, led by 1× FA Cup (2008). Their finishing mirrored their personalities: Diego Forlán clinical, David James authoritative. Their routes to the top were distinct: Diego Forlán built his reputation across Independiente, Manchester United, Villarreal, Atlético Madrid, Inter Milan, Internacional, Cerezo Osaka, Peñarol, peaking around 2010, 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. Few pairings invite such entrenched disagreement, and fewer still deserve it this much.
191 words · comparison angle: goalscoring
Player profiles
Winner of the Golden Ball as the standout player of the 2010 World Cup, Forlán was a prolific, two-footed striker who twice won the European Golden Shoe.
“A tireless, two-footed striker whose work rate and clean striking technique made him a nightmare for defenders in behind.”
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
- 2× UEFA Europa League (2010, 2012)
- 1× UEFA Super Cup (2010)
- 1× FA Cup (2008)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 2001 Professional debut for Independiente
- 2010 Won UEFA Europa League with Atlético Madrid
- 2010 Won UEFA Super Cup with Atlético Madrid
- 2010 Reached the peak of his powers at Atlético Madrid
- 2019 Retired after a final spell at Peñarol
- Finished his career with 315 goals in 650 appearances and 3 major honours. Finished his career with 315 goals in 650 appearances and 3 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
If forced to pick, Diego Forlán is the choice: a decisive margin, with a sharper goalscoring record the deciding factor.
Diego Forlán edges it (a decisive margin)
