Andrea Pirlo vs Daniele De Rossi: Stats Compared
Central / Attacking Midfielder, Italy (born 1979, retired 2017) · Central Midfielder, Italy (born 1983, retired 2019)
Few debates split football fans quite like Andrea Pirlo versus Daniele De Rossi. They occupied different roles, which makes a like-for-like verdict a careful exercise. The raw numbers read 73 goals in 728 outings for Andrea Pirlo (0.10/game), versus 65 in 700 for Daniele De Rossi (0.09/game). The assist columns read 80 for Andrea Pirlo and 60 for Daniele De Rossi where the record exists. Trophy counts give Andrea Pirlo 13 and Daniele De Rossi 3, with 1× FIFA World Cup (2006) and 1× FIFA World Cup (2006) the standout honours respectively. The central / attacking midfielder duties of Andrea Pirlo leaned incisive; the central midfielder responsibilities of Daniele De Rossi leaned silky. Club journeys add another layer, with Andrea Pirlo reaching his representative peak around 2006 across Brescia, Inter Milan, AC Milan, Juventus, New York City FC and Daniele De Rossi doing so around 2013 with Roma. Picking between them says as much about the picker as the players.
160 words · comparison angle: role
Player profiles
Italian playmaker and World Cup winner; six-time Serie A champion and two-time Champions League winner.
“A deep-lying regista whose passing range and free-kick craft orchestrated Italy and Juventus for a decade.”
A one-club legend and 2006 World Cup winner, De Rossi embodied Roma's midfield for nearly two decades, combining ferocious tackling with a superb range of passing.
“A commanding, technically excellent deep-lying midfielder who mixed hard tackling with elegant long-range distribution.”
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 (2006)
- 2× UEFA Champions League (2003, 2007)
- 6× Serie A
- 2× Coppa Italia
- 2× UEFA Super Cup (2003, 2007)
- 1× FIFA World Cup (2006)
- 2× Coppa Italia (2007, 2008)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1995 Brescia debut aged 16
- 1998 Signed for Inter Milan but failed to break through
- 2001 Joined AC Milan and his career took off
- 2006 World Cup winner with Italy
- 2011 Free transfer to Juventus
- 2014 Set a Serie A points record with Juventus
- 2015 Joined MLS side New York City FC
- 2001 Professional debut for Roma
- 2006 Won FIFA World Cup with Roma
- 2007 Won Coppa Italia with Roma
- 2013 Reached the peak of his powers at Roma
- 2019 Retired after a final spell at Roma
- Finished his career with 65 goals in 700 appearances and 3 major honours. Finished his career with 65 goals in 700 appearances and 3 major honours.
The verdict
If forced to pick, Andrea Pirlo is the choice: a decisive margin, with a weightier trophy cabinet the deciding factor.
Andrea Pirlo edges it (a decisive margin)
