Paul Scholes vs Raymond Kopa: Stats Compared
Central Midfielder, England (born 1974, retired 2013) · Forward, France (born 1931, retired 1967)
There is something timeless about weighing Paul Scholes against Raymond Kopa. Goals are the coldest, hardest metric in football, and both players stockedpile them. Across his senior career Paul Scholes notched 169 goals in 784 appearances (0.22 per game), while Raymond Kopa recorded 150 in 450 (0.33 per game). Assists were not reliably tracked for much of their careers, which makes the playmaking comparison an imperfect one; where records exist, Paul Scholes is credited with 75 and Raymond Kopa with 0. In major honours Paul Scholes collected 17 — headlined by 2× UEFA Champions League (1999, 2008) — whereas Raymond Kopa amassed 5, led by 3× European Cup (1957, 1958, 1959). Where Paul Scholes was a intelligent presence in the box, Raymond Kopa offered a predatory approach to goalscoring. The wider career context matters too: Paul Scholes peaked around 2008 after representing Manchester United, while Raymond Kopa's defining level came around 1958 across Angers, Reims, Real Madrid, Reims. Few pairings invite such entrenched disagreement, and fewer still deserve it this much.
171 words · comparison angle: goalscoring
Player profiles
Manchester United midfielder renowned for his passing range and vision; two-time Champions League winner.
“A short-sighted, single-touch midfielder whose passing range was unmatched in his generation.”
France's first football superstar and 1958 Ballon d'Or winner, Kopa won three straight European Cups alongside Di Stéfano at Real Madrid before returning to lead Reims.
“A diminutive, dazzling dribbler and creator whose vision and close control made him the conductor of every attack he played in.”
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
- 2× UEFA Champions League (1999, 2008)
- 11× Premier League
- 3× FA Cup (1996, 1999, 2004)
- 1× FIFA Club World Cup (2008)
- 3× European Cup (1957, 1958, 1959)
- 2× Ligue 1 (1953, 1960)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1994 Manchester United debut
- 1996 First Premier League title
- 1999 Treble winner with Manchester United
- 2003 Briefly retired from England duty
- 2008 Second Champions League winner
- 2011 Came out of retirement to help Manchester United
- 2013 Retired for good at Manchester United
- 1949 Professional debut for Angers
- 1957 Won European Cup with Real Madrid
- 1953 Won Ligue 1 with Reims
- 1958 Reached the peak of his powers at Real Madrid
- 1967 Retired after a final spell at Reims
- Finished his career with 150 goals in 450 appearances and 5 major honours. Finished his career with 150 goals in 450 appearances and 5 major honours.
The verdict
The numbers give Paul Scholes the lead — a decisive margin, courtesy of a weightier trophy cabinet.
Paul Scholes edges it (a decisive margin)
