Kaká vs Nemanja Vidić: Stats Compared
Attacking Midfielder, Brazil (born 1982, retired 2017) · Centre-Back, Serbia (born 1981, retired 2016)
Ask any fan to rank Kaká above or below Nemanja Vidić and you will get a passionate answer. Style separates them as much as statistics: two players, two unmistakable signatures. The raw numbers read 237 goals in 594 outings for Kaká (0.40/game), versus 29 in 518 for Nemanja Vidić (0.06/game). Because assists were not systematically tracked for much of their time, that side of the comparison rests on the footage that survives. Trophy counts give Kaká 6 and Nemanja Vidić 8, with 1× FIFA World Cup (2002) and 5× Premier League (2007–2013) the standout honours respectively. Stylistically Kaká was intelligent where Nemanja Vidić was anticipatory — two vocabularies of the same sport. Club journeys add another layer, with Kaká reaching his representative peak around 2007 across São Paulo, AC Milan, Real Madrid, Orlando City and Nemanja Vidić doing so around 2009 with Red Star Belgrade, Spartak Moscow, Manchester United, Inter. Few pairings invite such entrenched disagreement, and fewer still deserve it this much.
163 words · comparison angle: style
Player profiles
Brazilian attacking midfielder and 2007 Ballon d'Or winner; Champions League winner with AC Milan in 2007.
“A tall, graceful attacking midfielder who glided past defenders and finished with precision.”
Nemanja Vidić is a Serbian former professional footballer who played as a centre-back. Widely considered as one of the greatest defenders of all time, Vidić is best known for his time at Manchester United, where he won 15 trophies and served as club captain. He is one of only five players to win the Premier League Player of the Season award twice, alongside Thierry Henry, Kevin De Bruyne, Cristiano Ronaldo and Mohamed Salah.
“A fearless centre-back who dominated the air and treated every duel as a personal contest.”
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× FIFA World Cup (2002)
- 1× UEFA Champions League (2007)
- 2× FIFA Confederations Cup (2005, 2009)
- 1× Serie A (2004)
- 1× La Liga (2012)
- 5× Premier League (2007–2013)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 2001 São Paulo breakthrough
- 2002 World Cup winner (limited role)
- 2003 Signed for AC Milan
- 2005 Lost the Champions League final in Istanbul
- 2007 Champions League winner and Ballon d'Or winner
- 2009 Record transfer to Real Madrid
- 2017 Retired at Orlando City
- 2001 Established himself at Red Star Belgrade
- 2005 Reached his defining peak
- 2009 Delivered a landmark season
- 2016 Retired from professional football
The verdict
The numbers give Kaká the lead — a clear margin, courtesy of a sharper goalscoring record.
Kaká edges it (a clear margin)
