Edwin van der Sar vs Clint Dempsey: Stats Compared
Goalkeeper, Netherlands (born 1970, retired 2011) · Forward, United States (born 1983, retired 2018)
Edwin van der Sar against Clint Dempsey is the kind of comparison that fuels pub arguments for hours. Strip away the highlights and the medal count tells its own story for each man. On production alone, Edwin van der Sar posted 0 goals across 820 appearances while Clint Dempsey managed 180 across 550. 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 Clint Dempsey at 90 where figures survive. Trophy counts give Edwin van der Sar 9 and Clint Dempsey 2, with 1× UEFA Champions League (2008) and 1× MLS Supporters' Shield (2014) the standout honours respectively. Edwin van der Sar built his medal haul through years of reflex-sharp consistency, while Clint Dempsey won his with flair-driven bursts of brilliance. 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; Clint Dempsey's came around 2012 across New England Revolution, Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur, Seattle Sounders. Few pairings invite such entrenched disagreement, and fewer still deserve it this much.
189 words · comparison angle: trophies
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.”
The first American to score in three separate World Cups, Dempsey became the first US-born player to captain a Premier League team and remains one of the country's most decorated forwards.
“A tenacious, technically gifted forward whose late runs into the box and clever improvisation produced some of American soccer's most memorable goals.”
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× MLS Supporters' Shield (2014)
- 1× MLS Cup (2016)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 2000 Established himself at Ajax
- 2004 Reached his defining peak
- 2008 Delivered a landmark season
- 2011 Retired from professional football
- 2004 Professional debut for New England Revolution
- 2014 Won MLS Supporters' Shield with Seattle Sounders
- 2016 Won MLS Cup with Seattle Sounders
- 2012 Reached the peak of his powers at Fulham
- 2018 Retired after a final spell at Seattle Sounders
- Finished his career with 180 goals in 550 appearances and 2 major honours. Finished his career with 180 goals in 550 appearances and 2 major honours.
The verdict
The numbers give Edwin van der Sar the lead — a clear margin, courtesy of a weightier trophy cabinet.
Edwin van der Sar edges it (a clear margin)
