Diego Maradona vs Dunga: Stats Compared
Forward / Playmaker, Argentina (born 1960, retired 1997) · Defensive Midfielder, Brazil (born 1963, retired 1998)
There is something timeless about weighing Diego Maradona against Dunga. Where pure finishing is concerned, this is a shootout between two of the most feared marksmen of their time. Across his senior career Diego Maradona notched 293 goals in 582 appearances (0.50 per game), while Dunga recorded 60 in 687 (0.09 per game). Assists were never formally recorded across most of their eras, so the playmaking dimension has to be judged on reputation and highlights rather than hard totals. Diego Maradona departs the game with 6 major pieces of silverware, including 1× FIFA World Cup (1986); Dunga with 8, including 1× FIFA World Cup (1994). Diego Maradona scored with a clinical that defined his era, while Dunga's finishing carried a silky all of its own. Club journeys add another layer, with Diego Maradona reaching his representative peak around 1986 across Argentinos Juniors, Boca Juniors, Barcelona, Napoli, Sevilla, Newell's Old Boys and Dunga doing so around 1994 with Vasco da Gama, Fiorentina, Stuttgart, Júbilo Iwata. Each, in his own way, set a standard the other is measured against.
177 words · comparison angle: goalscoring
Player profiles
Argentine legend who almost single-handedly led Argentina to the 1986 World Cup and transformed Napoli into Italian and European contenders.
“A low-centre-of-gravity left-footed genius whose dribbling and playmaking carried teams single-handedly.”
Carlos Caetano Bledorn Verri (born 31 October 1963), commonly known as Dunga, is a Brazilian football manager and former professional player. Considered one of the greatest defensive midfielders of all time, as a player, he was known for his technique, athleticism, passing range, solid tackles and first touch. Under the captaincy Dunga took from Raí, Brazil won the 1994 FIFA World Cup and became runners-up of the following edition.
“A disciplined captain whose tackling, structure and fierce standards gave Brazil balance.”
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 (1986)
- 1× UEFA Cup (1989)
- 2× Serie A (1987, 1990)
- 1× Copa Italia (1987)
- 1× Argentine Primera División (1981)
- 1× FIFA World Cup (1994)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1976 Argentinos Juniors debut ten days before his 16th birthday
- 1981 Joined Boca Juniors and won the Argentine league
- 1982 World-record transfer to Barcelona
- 1984 Signed for Napoli for another world-record fee
- 1987 Led Napoli to their first ever Serie A title
- 1990 Captained Argentina to a second consecutive World Cup final
- 1997 Played his final professional matches at Boca Juniors
- 1986 Established himself at Vasco da Gama
- 1990 Reached his defining peak
- 1994 Delivered a landmark season
- 1998 Retired from professional football
The verdict
Taking goals, assists, silverware and overall profile together, Diego Maradona takes it by a narrow margin.
Diego Maradona edges it (a narrow margin)
