Alan Shearer vs Mario Kempes: Stats Compared
Striker, England (born 1970, retired 2006) · Striker, Argentina (born 1954, retired 1996)
Set Alan Shearer alongside Mario Kempes and the numbers start an argument of their own. It is in how they played, rather than what they won, that the comparison gets interesting. The raw numbers read 409 goals in 733 outings for Alan Shearer (0.56/game), versus 350 in 600 for Mario Kempes (0.58/game). Assists were never formally recorded across most of their eras, so the playmaking dimension has to be judged on reputation and highlights rather than hard totals. Alan Shearer departs the game with 9 major pieces of silverware, including 1× Premier League (1995); Mario Kempes with 3, including 1× FIFA World Cup (1978). Stylistically Alan Shearer was ruthless where Mario Kempes was clinical — two vocabularies of the same sport. The wider career context matters too: Alan Shearer peaked around 1995 after representing Southampton, Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle United, while Mario Kempes's defining level came around 1978 across Rosario Central, Valencia CF, River Plate, Valencia CF, Hércules CF, Austria Vienna. Arguments will run and run, which is exactly why the matchup endures.
172 words · comparison angle: style
Player profiles
Alan Shearer (born 13 August 1970) is an English football pundit and former professional player who played as a striker. Widely regarded as one of the greatest strikers of all time and one of the greatest players in Premier League history, he is the league's record goalscorer with 260 goals. He was named Football Writers' Association Player of the Year in 1994 and won the PFA Player of the Year award in 1995.
“A record-breaking number nine who combined brutal finishing with clever hold-up play.”
The talismanic top scorer of the 1978 World Cup, Kempes was Argentina's long-haired talisman and one of the first South American stars to shine in Spanish football.
“A powerful, direct forward who ran at defences from deep and finished with ferocious shooting power.”
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× Premier League (1995)
- 1× FIFA World Cup (1978)
- 1× UEFA Cup Winners' Cup (1980)
- 1× Copa del Rey (1979)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1987 Established himself at Southampton
- 1991 Reached his defining peak
- 1995 Delivered a landmark season
- 2006 Retired from professional football
- 1973 Professional debut for Rosario Central
- 1978 Won FIFA World Cup with Valencia CF
- 1979 Won Copa del Rey with Valencia CF
- 1978 Reached the peak of his powers at Valencia CF
- 1996 Retired after a final spell at Austria Vienna
- Finished his career with 350 goals in 600 appearances and 3 major honours. Finished his career with 350 goals in 600 appearances and 3 major honours.
The verdict
Taking goals, assists, silverware and overall profile together, Alan Shearer takes it by a clear margin.
Alan Shearer edges it (a clear margin)
