Park Ji-sung vs Careca: Stats Compared
Midfielder, South Korea (born 1981, retired 2014) · Striker, Brazil (born 1960, retired 1994)
When Park Ji-sung and Careca are mentioned in the same breath, opinions rarely stay quiet. Strip away the highlights and the medal count tells its own story for each man. The raw numbers read 60 goals in 550 outings for Park Ji-sung (0.11/game), versus 300 in 600 for Careca (0.50/game). Creativity tells a story too: 60 assists for Park Ji-sung against 30 for Careca. The honours ledger favours Park Ji-sung with 5 major trophies (4× Premier League (2007, 2008, 2009, 2011)) against Careca's 4 (2× Serie A (1987, 1990)). Park Ji-sung built his medal haul through years of dictatorial consistency, while Careca won his with flair-driven bursts of brilliance. The wider career context matters too: Park Ji-sung peaked around 2008 after representing Kyoto Purple Sanga, PSV Eindhoven, Manchester United, Queens Park Rangers, while Careca's defining level came around 1988 across Guarani, São Paulo, Napoli, Kashima Antlers. Greatness, in cases like this, is rarely a zero-sum affair.
156 words · comparison angle: trophies
Player profiles
The first Asian player to win the Champions League and reach a World Cup semi-final, Park was renowned for his tireless work rate and big-game performances for Manchester United.
“A relentless, selfless box-to-box midfielder whose stamina and tactical discipline made him invaluable in the biggest matches.”
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
- 4× Premier League (2007, 2008, 2009, 2011)
- 1× UEFA Champions League (2008)
- 2× Serie A (1987, 1990)
- 1× UEFA Cup (1989)
- 1× Coppa Italia (1987)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 2000 Professional debut for Kyoto Purple Sanga
- 2007 Won Premier League with Manchester United
- 2008 Won UEFA Champions League with Manchester United
- 2008 Reached the peak of his powers at Manchester United
- 2014 Retired after a final spell at Queens Park Rangers
- Finished his career with 60 goals in 550 appearances and 5 major honours. Finished his career with 60 goals in 550 appearances and 5 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
The numbers give Careca the lead — a narrow margin, courtesy of a sharper goalscoring record.
Careca edges it (a narrow margin)
