Edwin van der Sar vs Bixente Lizarazu: Stats Compared
Goalkeeper, Netherlands (born 1970, retired 2011) · Left-Back, France (born 1969, retired 2006)
The Edwin van der Sar–Bixente Lizarazu comparison is one of those fixtures of footballing folklore. Goals are the coldest, hardest metric in football, and both players stockedpile them. On production alone, Edwin van der Sar posted 0 goals across 820 appearances while Bixente Lizarazu managed 15 across 600. Assists were not reliably tracked for much of their careers, which makes the playmaking comparison an imperfect one; where records exist, Edwin van der Sar is credited with 0 and Bixente Lizarazu with 30. In major honours Edwin van der Sar collected 9 — headlined by 1× UEFA Champions League (2008) — whereas Bixente Lizarazu amassed 7, led by 1× FIFA World Cup (1998). Where Edwin van der Sar was a sweeper-keen presence in the box, Bixente Lizarazu offered a resolute approach to goalscoring. Their routes to the top were distinct: Edwin van der Sar built his reputation across Ajax, Juventus, Fulham, Manchester United, peaking around 2008, while Bixente Lizarazu reached his defining level around 2001 after spells with Bordeaux, Athletic Bilbao, Bayern Munich, Marseille. Each, in his own way, set a standard the other is measured against.
186 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 world judo champion off the pitch, Lizarazu was one of the finest left-backs of his generation, winning the World Cup, European Championship and Champions League with Bayern Munich.
“A compact, combative full-back whose low centre of gravity and stamina let him bomb up and down the flank all match.”
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 (1998)
- 1× UEFA European Championship (2000)
- 4× Bundesliga (1999, 2000, 2001, 2003)
- 1× UEFA Champions League (2001)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 2000 Established himself at Ajax
- 2004 Reached his defining peak
- 2008 Delivered a landmark season
- 2011 Retired from professional football
- 1988 Professional debut for Bordeaux
- 1998 Won FIFA World Cup with Bayern Munich
- 2001 Won UEFA Champions League with Bayern Munich
- 2001 Reached the peak of his powers at Bayern Munich
- 2006 Retired after a final spell at Marseille
- Finished his career with 15 goals in 600 appearances and 7 major honours. Finished his career with 15 goals in 600 appearances and 7 major honours.
The verdict
Weighing production, silverware and profile, the two finish within a whisker of each other. Call it a respectful draw — greatness of this calibre resists a single winner.
Too close to call — a respectful draw
