Daniel Passarella vs Clint Dempsey: Stats Compared
Centre-Back, Argentina (born 1953, retired 1989) · Forward, United States (born 1983, retired 2018)
Line up Daniel Passarella next to Clint Dempsey and the contrasts come quickly. Style separates them as much as statistics: two players, two unmistakable signatures. On production alone, Daniel Passarella posted 175 goals across 600 appearances while Clint Dempsey managed 180 across 550. Modern assist data only covers part of their careers, so creativity is hard to compare cleanly — Daniel Passarella is listed at 0 and Clint Dempsey at 90 where figures survive. Daniel Passarella departs the game with 6 major pieces of silverware, including 1× FIFA World Cup (1978); Clint Dempsey with 2, including 1× MLS Supporters' Shield (2014). Stylistically Daniel Passarella was uncompromising where Clint Dempsey was explosive — two vocabularies of the same sport. Club journeys add another layer, with Daniel Passarella reaching his representative peak around 1978 across River Plate, Fiorentina, Inter Milan, River Plate and Clint Dempsey doing so around 2012 with New England Revolution, Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur, Seattle Sounders. Each, in his own way, set a standard the other is measured against.
169 words · comparison angle: style
Player profiles
Argentina's World Cup-winning captain in 1978, Passarella was a rare goal-scoring sweeper renowned for thunderous free-kicks and fierce leadership.
“An aggressive, commanding sweeper who attacked set pieces and struck the ball with unusual power for a defender.”
The first American to score in three separate World Cups, Dempsey became the first US-born player to captain a Premier League team and remains one of the country's most decorated forwards.
“A tenacious, technically gifted forward whose late runs into the box and clever improvisation produced some of American soccer's most memorable goals.”
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 (1978)
- 5× Argentine Primera División (1975, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1981)
- 1× MLS Supporters' Shield (2014)
- 1× MLS Cup (2016)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1974 Professional debut for River Plate
- 1978 Won FIFA World Cup with River Plate
- 1975 Won Argentine Primera División with River Plate
- 1978 Reached the peak of his powers at River Plate
- 1989 Retired after a final spell at River Plate
- Finished his career with 175 goals in 600 appearances and 6 major honours. Finished his career with 175 goals in 600 appearances and 6 major honours.
- 2004 Professional debut for New England Revolution
- 2014 Won MLS Supporters' Shield with Seattle Sounders
- 2016 Won MLS Cup with Seattle Sounders
- 2012 Reached the peak of his powers at Fulham
- 2018 Retired after a final spell at Seattle Sounders
- Finished his career with 180 goals in 550 appearances and 2 major honours. Finished his career with 180 goals in 550 appearances and 2 major honours.
The verdict
Weighing production against honours, Daniel Passarella takes the verdict — a decisive margin, driven by a weightier trophy cabinet.
Daniel Passarella edges it (a decisive margin)
