Paul Scholes vs Peter Shilton: Stats Compared
Central Midfielder, England (born 1974, retired 2013) · Goalkeeper, England (born 1949, retired 1997)
Set Paul Scholes alongside Peter Shilton and the numbers start an argument of their own. Era matters in any comparison, and these two peaked under very different footballing conditions. By the end Paul Scholes had 169 goals from 784 caps and club outings; Peter Shilton had 1 from 1005. 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 Peter Shilton with 0. Paul Scholes departs the game with 17 major pieces of silverware, including 2× UEFA Champions League (1999, 2008); Peter Shilton with 4, including 2× European Cup (1979, 1980). Across the turn of the millennium and the 1980s respectively, their dictatorial and sweeper-keen styles captured the spirit of very different footballing times. Context beyond the headline totals is important: Paul Scholes's landmark level arrived around 2008 with a career spanning Manchester United; Peter Shilton's came around 1980 across Leicester City, Stoke City, Nottingham Forest, Southampton, Derby County, Plymouth Argyle, Wimbledon, Leyton Orient. Picking between them says as much about the picker as the players.
184 words · comparison angle: era
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.”
The most-capped England player in history with 125 caps, Shilton set an English record of 1,005 league appearances and won back-to-back European Cups with Nottingham Forest.
“A commanding, remarkably consistent shot-stopper whose positioning and reflexes made him one of the most reliable goalkeepers of his generation.”
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)
- 2× European Cup (1979, 1980)
- 1× English First Division (1978)
- 1× League Cup (1979)
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
- 1966 Professional debut for Leicester City
- 1979 Won European Cup with Nottingham Forest
- 1979 Won League Cup with Nottingham Forest
- 1980 Reached the peak of his powers at Nottingham Forest
- 1997 Retired after a final spell at Leyton Orient
- Finished his career with 1 goals in 1005 appearances and 4 major honours. Finished his career with 1 goals in 1005 appearances and 4 major honours.
The verdict
The numbers give Paul Scholes the lead — a decisive margin, courtesy of a sharper goalscoring record.
Paul Scholes edges it (a decisive margin)
