Mario Kempes vs Ivan Rakitić: Stats Compared
Striker, Argentina (born 1954, retired 1996) · Central Midfielder, Croatia (born 1988, retired 2023)
Mario Kempes and Ivan Rakitić represent two answers to the same question: how do you define a great? They occupied different roles, which makes a like-for-like verdict a careful exercise. Across his senior career Mario Kempes notched 350 goals in 600 appearances (0.58 per game), while Ivan Rakitić recorded 90 in 700 (0.13 per game). Assists were not reliably tracked for much of their careers, which makes the playmaking comparison an imperfect one; where records exist, Mario Kempes is credited with 0 and Ivan Rakitić with 90. Trophy counts give Mario Kempes 3 and Ivan Rakitić 6, with 1× FIFA World Cup (1978) and 1× UEFA Champions League (2015) the standout honours respectively. As a striker Mario Kempes bent the role to a ruthless template; as a central midfielder, Ivan Rakitić redefined it with creative authority. Their routes to the top were distinct: Mario Kempes built his reputation across Rosario Central, Valencia CF, River Plate, Valencia CF, Hércules CF, Austria Vienna, peaking around 1978, while Ivan Rakitić reached his defining level around 2015 after spells with Basel, Schalke 04, Sevilla, Barcelona, Sevilla, Hajduk Split. Picking between them says as much about the picker as the players.
196 words · comparison angle: role
Player profiles
The talismanic top scorer of the 1978 World Cup, Kempes was Argentina's long-haired talisman and one of the first South American stars to shine in Spanish football.
“A powerful, direct forward who ran at defences from deep and finished with ferocious shooting power.”
A key architect of Barcelona's 2015 treble and Croatia's run to the 2018 World Cup final, Rakitić combined tireless work rate with excellent passing range.
“A tireless, technically composed box-to-box midfielder whose range of passing linked defence and attack seamlessly.”
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 (1978)
- 1× UEFA Cup Winners' Cup (1980)
- 1× Copa del Rey (1979)
- 1× UEFA Champions League (2015)
- 1× UEFA Europa League (2014)
- 4× La Liga (2015, 2016, 2018, 2019)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1973 Professional debut for Rosario Central
- 1978 Won FIFA World Cup with Valencia CF
- 1979 Won Copa del Rey with Valencia CF
- 1978 Reached the peak of his powers at Valencia CF
- 1996 Retired after a final spell at Austria Vienna
- Finished his career with 350 goals in 600 appearances and 3 major honours. Finished his career with 350 goals in 600 appearances and 3 major honours.
- 2005 Professional debut for Basel
- 2015 Won UEFA Champions League with Barcelona
- 2015 Won La Liga with Barcelona
- 2015 Reached the peak of his powers at Barcelona
- 2023 Retired after a final spell at Hajduk Split
- Finished his career with 90 goals in 700 appearances and 6 major honours. Finished his career with 90 goals in 700 appearances and 6 major honours.
The verdict
On balance Ivan Rakitić edges the comparison. The margin is a clear margin, decided mostly by a weightier trophy cabinet.
Ivan Rakitić edges it (a clear margin)
