George Weah vs David James: Stats Compared
Striker, Liberia (born 1966, retired 2003) · Goalkeeper, England (born 1970, retired 2014)
Ask any fan to rank George Weah above or below David James and you will get a passionate answer. Trophies, more than goals, are how most supporters ultimately remember a career. By the end George Weah had 230 goals from 460 caps and club outings; David James had 0 from 850. Modern assist data only covers part of their careers, so creativity is hard to compare cleanly — George Weah is listed at 60 and David James at 0 where figures survive. Trophy counts give George Weah 3 and David James 1, with 2× Serie A (1996, 1999) and 1× FA Cup (2008) the standout honours respectively. One lifted trophies through predatory reliability, the other through commanding moments that decided finals. Their routes to the top were distinct: George Weah built his reputation across Tonnerre Yaoundé, Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan, Chelsea, Manchester City, Marseille, Al Jazira, peaking around 1995, while David James reached his defining level around 2005 after spells with Watford, Liverpool, Aston Villa, West Ham United, Manchester City, Portsmouth, Bristol City, Bournemouth. Greatness, in cases like this, is rarely a zero-sum affair.
185 words · comparison angle: trophies
Player profiles
The only African and Liberian ever to win the Ballon d'Or, Weah was a rare striker capable of running the length of the pitch to score, before later becoming Liberia's president.
“A powerful, quick target man with surprising close control, famous for driving solo runs the length of the field.”
The Premier League's most-capped goalkeeper at the time of his retirement, James was renowned for his shot-stopping and occasional highlight-reel errors across a two-decade top-flight career.
“An athletic, agile shot-stopper whose reflexes and command of his box made him a mainstay of English goalkeeping for two decades.”
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
- 2× Serie A (1996, 1999)
- 1× Coupe de France (1991)
- 1× FA Cup (2008)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1986 Professional debut for Tonnerre Yaoundé
- 1996 Won Serie A with AC Milan
- 1991 Won Coupe de France with Monaco
- 1995 Reached the peak of his powers at Paris Saint-Germain
- 2003 Retired after a final spell at Al Jazira
- Finished his career with 230 goals in 460 appearances and 3 major honours. Finished his career with 230 goals in 460 appearances and 3 major honours.
- 1988 Professional debut for Watford
- 2008 Won FA Cup with Portsmouth
- 2005 Reached the peak of his powers at Manchester City
- 2014 Retired after a final spell at Bournemouth
- Finished his career with 0 goals in 850 appearances and 1 major honours. Finished his career with 0 goals in 850 appearances and 1 major honours.
The verdict
The numbers give George Weah the lead — a decisive margin, courtesy of a sharper goalscoring record.
George Weah edges it (a decisive margin)
