Emmanuel Petit vs Teófilo Cubillas: Stats Compared
Defensive Midfielder, France (born 1970, retired 2004) · Attacking Midfielder, Peru (born 1949, retired 1989)
Comparing Emmanuel Petit with Teófilo Cubillas means weighing two very different kinds of greatness. Beyond the numbers, each man brought a singular aesthetic to the pitch. Career output puts Emmanuel Petit at 45 goals in 500 games, with Teófilo Cubillas at 220 in 500. Modern assist data only covers part of their careers, so creativity is hard to compare cleanly — Emmanuel Petit is listed at 40 and Teófilo Cubillas at 0 where figures survive. Trophy counts give Emmanuel Petit 4 and Teófilo Cubillas 4, with 1× FIFA World Cup (1998) and 4× Peruvian Primera División (1967, 1969, 1970, 1978) the standout honours respectively. Stylistically Emmanuel Petit was silky where Teófilo Cubillas was incisive — two vocabularies of the same sport. Context beyond the headline totals is important: Emmanuel Petit's landmark level arrived around 1998 with a career spanning Monaco, Arsenal, Barcelona, Chelsea; Teófilo Cubillas's came around 1978 across Alianza Lima, FC Basel, Alianza Lima, FC Porto, Fort Lauderdale Strikers, Alianza Lima. Few pairings invite such entrenched disagreement, and fewer still deserve it this much.
175 words · comparison angle: style
Player profiles
Scorer of France's third goal in the 1998 World Cup final, Petit was a versatile, combative midfielder who completed the Premier League and FA Cup double with Arsenal that same year.
“A tall, technically sound midfielder capable of playing centre-back or holding midfield with equal composure.”
Peru's greatest ever player, Cubillas remains the only man to score five goals across two separate World Cups, inspiring Peru's celebrated 1978 side.
“A quick, two-footed attacking midfielder renowned for a ferocious long-range shot and clever dribbling in tight spaces.”
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 (1998)
- 1× UEFA European Championship (2000)
- 1× Premier League (1998)
- 1× FA Cup (1998)
- 4× Peruvian Primera División (1967, 1969, 1970, 1978)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1988 Professional debut for Monaco
- 1998 Won FIFA World Cup with Arsenal
- 1998 Won FA Cup with Arsenal
- 1998 Reached the peak of his powers at Arsenal
- 2004 Retired after a final spell at Chelsea
- Finished his career with 45 goals in 500 appearances and 4 major honours. Finished his career with 45 goals in 500 appearances and 4 major honours.
- 1966 Professional debut for Alianza Lima
- 1967 Won Peruvian Primera División with Alianza Lima
- 1978 Reached the peak of his powers at Alianza Lima
- 1989 Retired after a final spell at Alianza Lima
- Finished his career with 220 goals in 500 appearances and 4 major honours. Finished his career with 220 goals in 500 appearances and 4 major honours.
The verdict
Taking goals, assists, silverware and overall profile together, Emmanuel Petit takes it by a narrow margin.
Emmanuel Petit edges it (a narrow margin)
