Davor Šuker vs Elías Figueroa: Stats Compared
Striker, Croatia (born 1968, retired 2003) · Centre-Back, Chile (born 1946, retired 1982)
Few debates split football fans quite like Davor Šuker versus Elías Figueroa. Strikers are judged on goals, and on that raw currency both men delivered extraordinary returns. By the end Davor Šuker had 273 goals from 526 caps and club outings; Elías Figueroa had 40 from 600. Because assists were not systematically tracked for much of their time, that side of the comparison rests on the footage that survives. In major honours Davor Šuker collected 8 — headlined by 1× UEFA Champions League (1998) — whereas Elías Figueroa amassed 5, led by 2× Uruguayan Primera División (1967, 1968). Where Davor Šuker was a ruthless presence in the box, Elías Figueroa offered a rugged approach to goalscoring. Club journeys add another layer, with Davor Šuker reaching his representative peak around 1998 across Osijek, Sevilla, Real Madrid, Arsenal, West Ham and Elías Figueroa doing so around 1974 with Santiago Wanderers, Peñarol, Internacional, Palestino, Fort Lauderdale Strikers. Each, in his own way, set a standard the other is measured against.
167 words · comparison angle: goalscoring
Player profiles
Davor Šuker is a Croatian football administrator and former professional player who played as a striker. He served as the president of the Croatian Football Federation (HNS) from 2012 to 2021. Šuker is generally regarded as the greatest Croatian striker of all time with a record 45 goals in 68 matches.
“A left-footed finisher with delicate touch, clever movement and a taste for spectacular goals.”
A three-time South American Footballer of the Year, Figueroa is widely considered the finest defender the continent has produced, marshalling Internacional's dominant 1970s side.
“An imperious, elegant centre-back who combined aerial dominance with composed distribution well ahead of his era.”
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× UEFA Champions League (1998)
- 2× Uruguayan Primera División (1967, 1968)
- 3× Campeonato Gaúcho (1973, 1974, 1975)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1990 Established himself at Osijek
- 1994 Reached his defining peak
- 1998 Delivered a landmark season
- 2003 Retired from professional football
- 1965 Professional debut for Santiago Wanderers
- 1967 Won Uruguayan Primera División with Peñarol
- 1973 Won Campeonato Gaúcho with Internacional
- 1974 Reached the peak of his powers at Internacional
- 1982 Retired after a final spell at Fort Lauderdale Strikers
- Finished his career with 40 goals in 600 appearances and 5 major honours. Finished his career with 40 goals in 600 appearances and 5 major honours.
The verdict
On balance Davor Šuker edges the comparison. The margin is a clear margin, decided mostly by a sharper goalscoring record.
Davor Šuker edges it (a clear margin)
