Edwin van der Sar vs Daniele De Rossi: Stats Compared
Goalkeeper, Netherlands (born 1970, retired 2011) · Central Midfielder, Italy (born 1983, retired 2019)
Line up Edwin van der Sar next to Daniele De Rossi and the contrasts come quickly. Both built reputations on finding the back of the net, but they did it in markedly different ways. The raw numbers read 0 goals in 820 outings for Edwin van der Sar (0.00/game), versus 65 in 700 for Daniele De Rossi (0.09/game). Modern assist data only covers part of their careers, so creativity is hard to compare cleanly — Edwin van der Sar is listed at 0 and Daniele De Rossi at 60 where figures survive. In major honours Edwin van der Sar collected 9 — headlined by 1× UEFA Champions League (2008) — whereas Daniele De Rossi amassed 3, led by 1× FIFA World Cup (2006). Where Edwin van der Sar was a reflex-sharp presence in the box, Daniele De Rossi offered a dictatorial approach to goalscoring. Context beyond the headline totals is important: Edwin van der Sar's landmark level arrived around 2008 with a career spanning Ajax, Juventus, Fulham, Manchester United; Daniele De Rossi's came around 2013 across Roma. The honest conclusion is that comparison enriches appreciation rather than crowns a single winner.
191 words · comparison angle: goalscoring
Player profiles
Edwin van der Sar is a Dutch football executive and former player. Widely regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time, he was most recently the chief executive of Eredivisie club Ajax. Van der Sar began his senior playing career with Ajax in the early 1990s; he is considered to be a member of the club's golden generation and was part of the team that won the UEFA Champions League in 1995.
“A tall, composed goalkeeper who made difficult saves look quiet and simple.”
A one-club legend and 2006 World Cup winner, De Rossi embodied Roma's midfield for nearly two decades, combining ferocious tackling with a superb range of passing.
“A commanding, technically excellent deep-lying midfielder who mixed hard tackling with elegant long-range distribution.”
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 (2008)
- 1× FIFA World Cup (2006)
- 2× Coppa Italia (2007, 2008)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 2000 Established himself at Ajax
- 2004 Reached his defining peak
- 2008 Delivered a landmark season
- 2011 Retired from professional football
- 2001 Professional debut for Roma
- 2006 Won FIFA World Cup with Roma
- 2007 Won Coppa Italia with Roma
- 2013 Reached the peak of his powers at Roma
- 2019 Retired after a final spell at Roma
- Finished his career with 65 goals in 700 appearances and 3 major honours. Finished his career with 65 goals in 700 appearances and 3 major honours.
The verdict
The numbers give Daniele De Rossi the lead — a narrow margin, courtesy of a sharper goalscoring record.
Daniele De Rossi edges it (a narrow margin)
