Miroslav Klose vs Peter Shilton: Stats Compared
Striker, Germany (born 1978, retired 2016) · Goalkeeper, England (born 1949, retired 1997)
Ask any fan to rank Miroslav Klose above or below Peter Shilton and you will get a passionate answer. Honours are what separate great players from trophy-laden legends, and both qualify. Career output puts Miroslav Klose at 318 goals in 705 games, with Peter Shilton at 1 in 1005. Because assists were not systematically tracked for much of their time, that side of the comparison rests on the footage that survives. Miroslav Klose departs the game with 7 major pieces of silverware, including 1× FIFA World Cup (2014); Peter Shilton with 4, including 2× European Cup (1979, 1980). Miroslav Klose built his medal haul through years of explosive consistency, while Peter Shilton won his with brave bursts of brilliance. Club journeys add another layer, with Miroslav Klose reaching his representative peak around 2014 across Kaiserslautern, Werder Bremen, Bayern Munich, Lazio and Peter Shilton doing so around 1980 with Leicester City, Stoke City, Nottingham Forest, Southampton, Derby County, Plymouth Argyle, Wimbledon, Leyton Orient. Greatness, in cases like this, is rarely a zero-sum affair.
172 words · comparison angle: trophies
Player profiles
All-time FIFA World Cup top scorer with 16 goals; Germany's all-time leading goalscorer with 71 international goals.
“A selfless striker and aerial specialist whose consistency made him a World Cup great.”
The most-capped England player in history with 125 caps, Shilton set an English record of 1,005 league appearances and won back-to-back European Cups with Nottingham Forest.
“A commanding, remarkably consistent shot-stopper whose positioning and reflexes made him one of the most reliable goalkeepers of his generation.”
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 (2014)
- 2× Bundesliga (2008, 2010)
- 3× DFB-Pokal (2005, 2008, 2010)
- 1× Coppa Italia (2013)
- 2× European Cup (1979, 1980)
- 1× English First Division (1978)
- 1× League Cup (1979)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 2000 Kaiserslautern debut
- 2002 World Cup debut, scored five headed goals
- 2007 Joined Bayern Munich
- 2011 Joined Lazio, won over fans with relentless work rate
- 2014 World Cup winner, became the all-time World Cup top scorer (16 goals)
- 2016 Retired at Lazio
- 1966 Professional debut for Leicester City
- 1979 Won European Cup with Nottingham Forest
- 1979 Won League Cup with Nottingham Forest
- 1980 Reached the peak of his powers at Nottingham Forest
- 1997 Retired after a final spell at Leyton Orient
- Finished his career with 1 goals in 1005 appearances and 4 major honours. Finished his career with 1 goals in 1005 appearances and 4 major honours.
The verdict
Reasonable people will disagree, but Miroslav Klose wins out by a clear margin on the weight of a sharper goalscoring record.
Miroslav Klose edges it (a clear margin)
