Stanley Matthews vs Son Heung-min
England against South Korea. The almanac states its case, the crowd votes, you decide.
Stanley Matthews
England · 1950s · LM
- Almanac rating
- 92
- Rank in England
- #5 of 33
- Caps
- 54 · 11 goals
- Clubs
- Stoke City, The Football League XI, Blackpool
- Honours
- Ballon d'Or · 2× Hall of Fame
The original 'Wizard of the Dribble,' this legendary winger's mesmerizing footwork earned him the inaugural Ballon d'Or in 1956. Career record: 54 caps and 11 goals for England; club career at Stoke City, The Football League XI, Blackpool; honours include Ballon d'Or, 2× Hall of Fame.
Son Heung-min
South Korea · 2018–25 · LM
- Almanac rating
- 90
- Rank in South Korea
- #1 of 33
- Caps
- 144 · 56 goals
- Clubs
- Hamburger SV, Bayer 04 Leverkusen, Tottenham Hotspur
Against Burnley on 7 December 2019 he collected the ball outside his own penalty area and ran 71.4 metres past six defenders in eleven seconds before finishing, a goal that won him the FIFA Puskas Award. He captained Tottenham to the 2025 Europa League in Bilbao, shared the 2021/22 Premier League Golden Boot with Mohamed Salah on 23 goals as the first Asian winner, and led South Korea to Asian Games gold in 2018. Career record: 144 caps and 56 goals for South Korea; club career at Hamburger SV, Bayer 04 Leverkusen, Tottenham Hotspur.
The verdict
The almanac puts Stanley Matthews ahead by 2 rating points, 92 against 90.
Fans have not settled this one yet. Cast the first vote in the duels.