Dejan Savićević vs Paul Ince: Stats Compared
Attacking Midfielder, Yugoslavia (born 1966, retired 2001) · Central Midfielder, England (born 1967, retired 2006)
There is something timeless about weighing Dejan Savićević against Paul Ince. Different decades shaped different demands, and both adapted to theirs brilliantly. The raw numbers read 110 goals in 450 outings for Dejan Savićević (0.24/game), versus 90 in 650 for Paul Ince (0.14/game). In chance creation, Dejan Savićević tallied 70 assists to Paul Ince's 60. Trophy counts give Dejan Savićević 5 and Paul Ince 4, with 1× European Cup (1991) and 2× Premier League (1993, 1994) the standout honours respectively. Across the 1990s and the 1990s respectively, their orchestrating and orchestrating styles captured the spirit of very different footballing times. The wider career context matters too: Dejan Savićević peaked around 1994 after representing Budućnost Podgorica, Red Star Belgrade, AC Milan, Rapid Wien, while Paul Ince's defining level came around 1994 across West Ham United, Manchester United, Inter Milan, Liverpool, Middlesbrough, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Swindon Town. Whichever side you land on, both belong in any conversation about the finest of their generation.
160 words · comparison angle: era
Player profiles
Nicknamed 'The Genius', Savićević was a mesmerising Montenegrin playmaker whose iconic lobbed goal in the 1994 Champions League final capped AC Milan's most dominant era.
“An audacious, unpredictable dribbler whose flair and outrageous invention made him one of the most watchable players of his generation.”
The first Black player to captain England, Ince was a combative, driving midfielder at the heart of Manchester United's early Premier League dominance.
“An aggressive, all-action midfielder whose tackling and late runs into the box made him a formidable box-to-box presence.”
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× European Cup (1991)
- 3× Serie A (1993, 1994, 1996)
- 1× UEFA Champions League (1994)
- 2× Premier League (1993, 1994)
- 2× FA Cup (1990, 1994)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1982 Professional debut for Budućnost Podgorica
- 1991 Won European Cup with Red Star Belgrade
- 1994 Won UEFA Champions League with AC Milan
- 1994 Reached the peak of his powers at AC Milan
- 2001 Retired after a final spell at Rapid Wien
- Finished his career with 110 goals in 450 appearances and 5 major honours. Finished his career with 110 goals in 450 appearances and 5 major honours.
- 1986 Professional debut for West Ham United
- 1993 Won Premier League with Manchester United
- 1990 Won FA Cup with Manchester United
- 1994 Reached the peak of his powers at Manchester United
- 2006 Retired after a final spell at Swindon Town
- Finished his career with 90 goals in 650 appearances and 4 major honours. Finished his career with 90 goals in 650 appearances and 4 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
