Raúl vs David Luiz: Stats Compared
Striker, Spain (born 1977, retired 2015) · Centre-Back, Brazil (born 1987, retired 2023)
Set Raúl alongside David Luiz and the numbers start an argument of their own. Comparing across positions is never straightforward, and these two asked different questions of opponents. The raw numbers read 432 goals in 1032 outings for Raúl (0.42/game), versus 35 in 650 for David Luiz (0.05/game). Assists were not reliably tracked for much of their careers, which makes the playmaking comparison an imperfect one; where records exist, Raúl is credited with 0 and David Luiz with 25. Trophy counts give Raúl 16 and David Luiz 6, with 3× UEFA Champions League (1998, 2000, 2002) and 1× UEFA Champions League (2012) the standout honours respectively. As a striker Raúl bent the role to a mercurial template; as a centre-back, David Luiz redefined it with uncompromising authority. Club journeys add another layer, with Raúl reaching his representative peak around 2002 across Real Madrid, Schalke 04, Al Sadd, New York Cosmos and David Luiz doing so around 2013 with Vitória, Benfica, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, Arsenal, Flamengo. Rank them how you like — both names are carved into the sport's permanent record.
181 words · comparison angle: role
Player profiles
Real Madrid legend who captained the club to three Champions League titles; held the all-time Champions League goals record before Messi and Ronaldo surpassed him.
“An intelligent, tireless forward whose movement off the ball created chances for himself and others.”
An eccentric, unpredictable Brazilian centre-back famed for his wild hairstyles and thunderous free-kicks, David Luiz won trophies across three major European leagues.
“An unorthodox, high-risk centre-back who combined bold attacking instincts and a huge shot with occasionally erratic positioning.”
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
- 3× UEFA Champions League (1998, 2000, 2002)
- 6× La Liga
- 4× Supercopa de España
- 2× Intercontinental Cup (1998, 2002)
- 1× UEFA Super Cup (2002)
- 1× UEFA Champions League (2012)
- 2× UEFA Europa League (2013, 2019)
- 2× Premier League (2015, 2017)
- 1× FA Cup (2018)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1994 Real Madrid debut aged 17
- 1996 Won La Liga with Real Madrid
- 1998 Champions League winner at 20
- 2000 Champions League winner, top scorer in the tournament
- 2003 Became Real Madrid captain
- 2010 Left Real Madrid after 16 years at the club
- 2015 Retired at New York Cosmos
- 2006 Professional debut for Vitória
- 2012 Won UEFA Champions League with Chelsea
- 2018 Won FA Cup with Chelsea
- 2013 Reached the peak of his powers at Chelsea
- 2023 Retired after a final spell at Flamengo
- Finished his career with 35 goals in 650 appearances and 6 major honours. Finished his career with 35 goals in 650 appearances and 6 major honours.
The verdict
If forced to pick, Raúl is the choice: a decisive margin, with a sharper goalscoring record the deciding factor.
Raúl edges it (a decisive margin)
