Juan Román Riquelme vs David Luiz: Stats Compared
Attacking Midfielder, Argentina (born 1978, retired 2015) · Centre-Back, Brazil (born 1987, retired 2023)
Ask any fan to rank Juan Román Riquelme above or below David Luiz and you will get a passionate answer. Position shapes everything in football, and these two fulfilled very different briefs. Juan Román Riquelme finishes with 130 career goals from 550 games — a 0.24 strike rate — against David Luiz's 35 from 650 at 0.05 per match. In chance creation, Juan Román Riquelme tallied 100 assists to David Luiz's 25. The honours ledger favours Juan Román Riquelme with 8 major trophies (3× Copa Libertadores (2000, 2001, 2007)) against David Luiz's 6 (1× UEFA Champions League (2012)). The attacking midfielder duties of Juan Román Riquelme leaned intelligent; the centre-back responsibilities of David Luiz leaned commanding. Their routes to the top were distinct: Juan Román Riquelme built his reputation across Boca Juniors, Barcelona, Villarreal, Boca Juniors, peaking around 2007, while David Luiz reached his defining level around 2013 after spells with Vitória, Benfica, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, Arsenal, Flamengo. The honest conclusion is that comparison enriches appreciation rather than crowns a single winner.
173 words · comparison angle: role
Player profiles
An unhurried, languid Argentine No.10 whose vision and close control made him the last great exponent of the classic South American enganche playmaker.
“A slow-paced but supremely elegant playmaker who dictated tempo with pinpoint passing and a low centre of gravity.”
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× Copa Libertadores (2000, 2001, 2007)
- 2× Intercontinental Cup (2000, 2003)
- 3× Argentine Primera División (1998, 1999, 2000)
- 1× UEFA Champions League (2012)
- 2× UEFA Europa League (2013, 2019)
- 2× Premier League (2015, 2017)
- 1× FA Cup (2018)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1996 Professional debut for Boca Juniors
- 2000 Won Copa Libertadores with Boca Juniors
- 1998 Won Argentine Primera División with Boca Juniors
- 2007 Reached the peak of his powers at Villarreal
- 2015 Retired after a final spell at Boca Juniors
- Finished his career with 130 goals in 550 appearances and 8 major honours. Finished his career with 130 goals in 550 appearances and 8 major honours.
- 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
Weighing production, silverware and profile, the two finish within a whisker of each other. Call it a respectful draw — greatness of this calibre resists a single winner.
Too close to call — a respectful draw
