Roger Milla vs Careca: Stats Compared
Striker, Cameroon (born 1952, retired 1994) · Striker, Brazil (born 1960, retired 1994)
Put Roger Milla and Careca side by side and you have a genuine generational conversation. Position shapes everything in football, and these two fulfilled very different briefs. The raw numbers read 150 goals in 400 outings for Roger Milla (0.38/game), versus 300 in 600 for Careca (0.50/game). Assists were not reliably tracked for much of their careers, which makes the playmaking comparison an imperfect one; where records exist, Roger Milla is credited with 0 and Careca with 30. Trophy counts give Roger Milla 3 and Careca 4, with 2× Africa Cup of Nations (1984, 1988) and 2× Serie A (1987, 1990) the standout honours respectively. The striker duties of Roger Milla leaned explosive; the striker responsibilities of Careca leaned ruthless. Club journeys add another layer, with Roger Milla reaching his representative peak around 1990 across Union Douala, Valenciennes, Monaco, Bastia, Saint-Étienne, Montpellier, JS Kabylie and Careca doing so around 1988 with Guarani, São Paulo, Napoli, Kashima Antlers. Arguments will run and run, which is exactly why the matchup endures.
169 words · comparison angle: role
Player profiles
The exuberant hero of Cameroon's 1990 World Cup run, Milla became the oldest World Cup goalscorer at 42 and made his corner-flag dance world famous.
“A joyful, clever striker whose sharp movement and composure produced decisive goals late into his career.”
Diego Maradona's strike partner at Napoli, Careca formed one of Serie A's most feared attacking duos, helping the club to its first two Scudetti.
“A sharp, technically excellent striker whose close combination play and clinical finishing perfectly complemented a more individualist strike partner.”
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
- 2× Africa Cup of Nations (1984, 1988)
- 1× Coupe de France (1981)
- 2× Serie A (1987, 1990)
- 1× UEFA Cup (1989)
- 1× Coppa Italia (1987)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1974 Professional debut for Union Douala
- 1984 Won Africa Cup of Nations with Monaco
- 1981 Won Coupe de France with Monaco
- 1990 Reached the peak of his powers at Montpellier
- 1994 Retired after a final spell at JS Kabylie
- Finished his career with 150 goals in 400 appearances and 3 major honours. Finished his career with 150 goals in 400 appearances and 3 major honours.
- 1978 Professional debut for Guarani
- 1987 Won Serie A with São Paulo
- 1987 Won Coppa Italia with São Paulo
- 1988 Reached the peak of his powers at Napoli
- 1994 Retired after a final spell at Kashima Antlers
- Finished his career with 300 goals in 600 appearances and 4 major honours. Finished his career with 300 goals in 600 appearances and 4 major honours.
The verdict
Weighing production against honours, Careca takes the verdict — a clear margin, driven by a sharper goalscoring record.
Careca edges it (a clear margin)
