Edwin van der Sar vs Carlos Tevez: Stats Compared
Goalkeeper, Netherlands (born 1970, retired 2011) · Striker, Argentina (born 1984, retired 2021)
Few debates split football fans quite like Edwin van der Sar versus Carlos Tevez. Comparing across positions is never straightforward, and these two asked different questions of opponents. The raw numbers read 0 goals in 820 outings for Edwin van der Sar (0.00/game), versus 280 in 700 for Carlos Tevez (0.40/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 Carlos Tevez at 90 where figures survive. The honours ledger favours Edwin van der Sar with 9 major trophies (1× UEFA Champions League (2008)) against Carlos Tevez's 5 (1× Premier League (2012)). As a goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar bent the role to a sweeper-keen template; as a striker, Carlos Tevez redefined it with explosive authority. 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; Carlos Tevez's came around 2011 across Boca Juniors, Corinthians, West Ham United, Manchester United, Manchester City, Juventus, Boca Juniors, Shanghai Shenhua, Boca Juniors. Greatness, in cases like this, is rarely a zero-sum affair.
191 words · comparison angle: role
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 tenacious, street-smart Argentine striker known as 'El Apache', beloved for his relentless work rate and hunger for goals.
“A combative, low-centre-of-gravity forward who pressed relentlessly and thrived on scrappy, instinctive finishes.”
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× Premier League (2012)
- 2× Serie A (2014, 2015)
- 1× Copa Libertadores (2003)
- 1× Argentine Primera División (2003)
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 Boca Juniors
- 2012 Won Premier League with Manchester City
- 2003 Won Argentine Primera División with Boca Juniors
- 2011 Reached the peak of his powers at Manchester City
- 2021 Retired after a final spell at Boca Juniors
- Finished his career with 280 goals in 700 appearances and 5 major honours. Finished his career with 280 goals in 700 appearances and 5 major honours.
The verdict
Reasonable people will disagree, but Carlos Tevez wins out by a narrow margin on the weight of a sharper goalscoring record.
Carlos Tevez edges it (a narrow margin)
