Gary Lineker vs Ferenc Puskás: Stats Compared
Striker, England (born 1960, retired 1994) · Forward, Hungary (born 1927, retired 1966)
Set Gary Lineker alongside Ferenc Puskás and the numbers start an argument of their own. It is in how they played, rather than what they won, that the comparison gets interesting. Career output puts Gary Lineker at 330 goals in 567 games, with Ferenc Puskás at 598 in 621. Because assists were not systematically tracked for much of their time, that side of the comparison rests on the footage that survives. Gary Lineker departs the game with 9 major pieces of silverware, including 1× Copa del Rey (1988); Ferenc Puskás with 10, including 3× European Cup (1959, 1960, 1966). Gary Lineker played with a explosive that made him unmistakable; Ferenc Puskás brought a mercurial that was equally his own. Their routes to the top were distinct: Gary Lineker built his reputation across Leicester City, Everton, Barcelona, Tottenham, peaking around 1986, while Ferenc Puskás reached his defining level around 1960 after spells with Budapest Honvéd, Real Madrid. Few pairings invite such entrenched disagreement, and fewer still deserve it this much.
169 words · comparison angle: style
Player profiles
Gary Winston Lineker (born 30 November 1960) is an English sports broadcaster, businessman, and former professional footballer who played as a striker. Regarded as one of the best players of his generation and one of England's greatest players, Lineker is the only player to have been the top goalscorer in England with three clubs: Leicester City, Everton, and Tottenham Hotspur. He also played for Barcelona in Spain, and won 80 caps for England.
“A model penalty-box striker whose timing and finishing were almost never wasted.”
Hungarian legend of the Magical Magyats and a Real Madrid galáctico; scorer of 84 goals in 85 games for Hungary.
“A barrel-chested left-footed finisher whose deadly striking powered Hungary's Golden Team.”
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× Copa del Rey (1988)
- 3× European Cup (1959, 1960, 1966)
- 5× La Liga
- 1× Olympic Gold Medal (1952)
- 1× Central European Cup (1953)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1978 Established himself at Leicester City
- 1982 Reached his defining peak
- 1986 Delivered a landmark season
- 1994 Retired from professional football
- 1943 Budapest Honvéd debut
- 1952 Olympic champion with Hungary
- 1953 Scored twice in the 6-3 win over England at Wembley
- 1956 Fled the Hungarian Revolution
- 1958 Joined Real Madrid
- 1960 Scored four goals in the European Cup final
- 1966 Retired from playing
The verdict
If forced to pick, Ferenc Puskás is the choice: a clear margin, with a sharper goalscoring record the deciding factor.
Ferenc Puskás edges it (a clear margin)
