List of men's footballers with 1,000 or more official appearances

In association football, at least 45 players have played at least 1,000 official matches at all age levels. Regarding youth football, only matches with national teams are counted, as such data for club levels cannot be found for the majority of the players. Regarding B teams and reserve teams, appearances for such teams are only included if made in the primary football pyramid and not in reserve divisions.

Peter Shilton
Goalkeeper Peter Shilton holds the record for the most competitive appearances.

English goalkeeper Peter Shilton holds the record for the most appearances, making over 1,400 appearances between the 1960s and 1990s, including a national record of 125 appearances for England, and in 1996 became the first footballer to make 1,000 league appearances.[1] In March 2022, Robert Carmona from Uruguay was recognized as the oldest active footballer by Guinness World Records[2][3][4] and was reported as having played around 2,200 official matches,[2][3][4] a total that would place him at the top of the list by far; however, due to a lack of details about the distribution of these matches per year and team, or even which teams he played for,[5][6][7] he cannot currently be added to the list.

Ranking

As of 13:15, 26 April 2024 (UTC)

Bold indicates the player is currently active.

RankPlayerPos.AppsGoalsSpan[a]Teams[b]AppsRef.
1 Peter ShiltonG1,41111965–1997 Leicester City349[11]
[12]
[13]
[14]
[15]
[16]
[17]
[c]
[d]
Stoke City121
Nottingham Forest275
Southampton242
Derby County216
Plymouth Argyle43
Bolton Wanderers2
Leyton Orient10
England[17]125
England U23[20]13
England Youth[21]9
England Schoolboys[c]6
2 FábioG1,318+01997– União Bandeirante30[25]
[26]
[27]
[28]
[29]
[30]
[e]
[f]
[g]
Atlético Paranaense16
Vasco da Gama150
Cruzeiro[29][g]955+
Fluminense142
Brazil U23[28][32]3
Brazil U20[e]9+
Brazil U17[f]13
3 Paul BastockG1,286+01988– Cambridge United[41]13[42]
[43]
[44]
[45]
[h]
[i]
Bath City[52][53]1
Sabah FA[52][54]?
Cheltenham Town[55]1
Fisher Athletic[42]28
Kettering Town[42]27
Aylesbury United[42]5
Boston United[49][43]679
Dagenham & Redbridge[42]1
St Albans City[56][42]315
Rushden & Diamonds25
Worksop Town[57][58]42
Royston Town[42]13
St Neots Town[42]39
Dunstable Town[42]30
Stamford[59][60]25
Corby Town[61]5
Wisbech Town[62]33
Grantham Town[63]1
Pinchbeck United[64][45]1
King's Lynn Town[65][45]1
Deeping Rangers[50][66]1
4 Cristiano RonaldoF1,2539032001– Sporting CP B[67]2[68]
[69]
[70]
[71]
[72]
[67]
[73]
Sporting CP31
Manchester United[71]346
Real Madrid[74]438
Juventus134
Al Nassr62
Portugal206
Portugal U23[72]3
Portugal U21[72]10
Portugal U20[72]5
Portugal U17[72]7
Portugal U15[72]9
5 Rogério CeniG1,226129[j]1990–2015 Sinop12[77]
[78]
[79]
[80]
[81]
São Paulo1,197
Brazil17
6 František PláničkaG1,187+01918–1957 Slovan Praha VII[82]22[82]
[83]
[84]
[85]
[86]
[87]
[88]
[89]
[90]
[k]
[l]
Union VII[83]?
Staroměstský SK Olympia[83]?
SK Bubeneč[82][93]108
Slavia Praha[83][m]969
Rudá Hvězda VII[82]14
Czechoslovakia[95][n]73+
Czechoslovakia amateur team[88]1
7 Tommy HutchisonM1,178+81+1964–1994 Dundonald Bluebell[96][97]?[96]
[98]
[99]
[100]
[101]
[102]
[103]
[104]
[105]
[106]
[107]
[108]
[o]
[p]
[q]
Alloa Athletic[109][110]84
Blackpool[96][103]198
Coventry City[111][112]355
Seattle Sounders25
Manchester City60
Bulova[98][o]26+
Burnley114
Swansea City[96][p]222+
Merthyr Tydfil[104][q]76
Scotland[130][131]17
Scotland U23[101]1
8 Gianluigi BuffonG1,17501993–2023 Parma265[132]
[133]
[134]
[135]
Juventus685
Paris Saint-Germain25
Italy176
Italy U23[136]4
Italy U21[137]11
Italy U18[138]3
Italy U17[139]3
Italy U16[140]3
9 Yasuhito EndōM1,152+157+1995–2023 Kagoshima Mitsutaka1[141]
[142]
[143]
[144]
[145]
[146]
[147]
[r]
[s]
Yokohama Flügels20
Kyoto Purple Sanga64
Gamba Osaka790
Jubilo Iwata107
Japan[155][156]152
Japan U237
Japan U2011
Japan U16[s]?
10 XaviM1,1481411997–2019 Barcelona B61[157]
[158]
[159]
[160]
[161]
[162]
[163]
[t]
[u]
Barcelona[157]779
Al Sadd[162][171]117
Spain[172]133
Spain U236
Spain U2126
Spain U206
Spain U1810
Spain U17[173]10
11 Roberto CarlosD1,141+129+1991–2011
2015
União São João67[174]
[175]
[176]
[177]
[178]
[179]
[180]
[181]
[182]
[183]
[184]
[v]
[w]
[x]
Palmeiras[y]162
Inter Milan34
Real Madrid527
Fenerbahçe104
Corinthians Paulista61
Anzhi Makhachkala[v]28+
Delhi Dynamos3
Brazil[177][182]127+
Brazil Olympic team23
Brazil U205+
12 Pat JenningsG1,132+11961–1986 Newry United[z]?[193]
[194]
[195]
[196]
[197]
[198]
[199]
[200]
[z]
[aa]
[ab]
Newry Town[z]28
Watford[206]52
Tottenham Hotspur[193][207]597
Arsenal[208]327
Northern Ireland[196][209]119
Northern Ireland U23[193][210]1
Northern Ireland U18[193][211]8
13 Iker CasillasG1,12501996–2019 Real Madrid C32[212]
[213]
[214]
[215]
[216]
[217]
[218]
Real Madrid B4
Real Madrid[219]725
Porto156
Spain[220]167
Spain U215
Spain U202
Spain U184
Spain U1710
Spain U1619
Spain U151
14 Ray ClemenceG1,11901966–1988 Scunthorpe United50[221]
[222]
[223]
[224]
[225]
[226]
[227]
[228]
[ac]
Liverpool[229][230]665
St. George-Budapest[231][225]2
Tottenham Hotspur[224][232]337
England[226][227]61
England U23[20][227]4
15 Javier ZanettiD/M1,115311992–2014 Talleres RE[233]33[234]
[235]
[236]
[237]
[ad]
[ae]
Banfield[239]66
Inter Milan[240][af]858
Argentina[250][237]145
Argentina U23[ad]13
16 Lionel MessiF1,1118572003– Barcelona C[255]10[256]
[257]
[258]
[259]
[255]
[ag]
[ah]
Barcelona B[255]22
Barcelona[259]778
Paris Saint-Germain75
Inter Miami23
Argentina[260]180
Argentina U23[ag]5
Argentina U20[ah]18
17 Marcelinho ParaíbaM1,097+360+1991–2020 Campinense?[264]
[265]
[266]
[267]
Paraguaçuense[268]29
Santos[ai]14
Rio Branco[264][265]79
São Paulo[264][265]202
Marseille[271]21
Grêmio[272]23
Hertha BSC[273]193
Trabzonspor22
VfL Wolfsburg[273]57
Flamengo[274]25
Coritiba[264][265]50
Sport Recife92
Grêmio Barueri19
Boa45
Fortaleza44
Internacional de Lages26
Joinville30
Oeste13
Ypiranga4
Portuguesa26
Treze54
Perilima24
Brazil5
18 Robbie JamesM1,095+185+1973–1998 Swansea City[275]593[276]
[277]
[278]
[279]
[280]
[281]
[282]
[283]
[284]
[aj]
[ak]
Stoke City[276]56
Queens Park Rangers[276]101
Leicester City[276]29
Bradford City[276]108
Cardiff City[al]68
Merthyr Tydfil[277]16+
Barry Town[290]38
Inter Cardiff[276]?
Llanelli[277][283]36+
Weston-super-Mare[276][277]?
Wales[280][281]47
Wales U21[281]3
19 João MoutinhoM1,088+732002– Sporting CP B[291]30[292]
[293]
[294]
[295]
[296]
[297]
[298]
[299]
[291]
Sporting CP259
Porto140
Monaco[am][an]219
Wolverhampton Wanderers[303]212
Braga40
Portugal146
Portugal B[297]1
Portugal U21[297][ao]17+
Portugal U19[297]4
Portugal U18[297]5
Portugal U17[297]15
20 Tony FordD/M1,083+126+1975–2001 Grimsby Town[304]491[304]
[305]
[306]
[307]
[ap]
Sunderland9
Stoke City135
West Bromwich Albion128
Bradford City7
Scunthorpe United[308]91
Barrow[aq]?
Mansfield Town116
Rochdale104
England B[309]2
21 Dani AlvesD/M1,080752001– Bahia[310][311]58[312]
[313]
[314]
[315]
[310]
[316]
[317]
[318]
[319]
[ar]
Sevilla[316]250
Barcelona[321]408
Juventus33
Paris Saint-Germain73
São Paulo95
UNAM13
Brazil[318]126
Brazil Olympic team[315]7
Brazil U20[317]17
22 ZinhoM1,078+189+1986–2007 Flamengo[322]365[323]
[324]
[325]
Palmeiras[326][327]316
Yokohama Flügels107
Grêmio146
Cruzeiro[328]32
Nova Iguaçu4+
Miami FC[324]53
Brazil[325]55
23 Jamie CuretonF1,0743901993– Norwich City108[329]
[330]
[331]
[332]
Bournemouth6
Bristol Rovers198
Reading127
Busan I'Cons21
Queens Park Rangers46
Swindon Town32
Colchester United56
Barnsley8
Shrewsbury Town12
Exeter City96
Leyton Orient23
Cheltenham Town36
Dagenham & Redbridge93
Farnborough50
Eastleigh7
St Albans City17
Bishop's Stortford94
Enfield29
Maldon & Tiptree[332]3
Hornchurch8
England U184
24 RaúlF1,0714681994–2015 Real Madrid C[333]9[334]
[335]
[336]
[337]
[338]
[333]
[339]
[340]
[341]
[as]
Real Madrid B[334][338]1
Real Madrid[350]741
Schalke 04[338][336]98
Al Sadd[341][339]61
New York Cosmos[337][351]32
Spain[352][353]102
Spain Olympic team[334][as]4+
Spain U21[340][as]9+
Spain U20[334][as]5+
Spain U18[340][as]2+
25 Luka ModrićM1,070+1282000– Dinamo Zagreb[354][355]130[356]
[357]
[358]
[359]
[360]
[361]
[362]
Zrinjski Mostar[363][364]25
Inter Zaprešić18
Tottenham Hotspur160
Real Madrid[365]526
Croatia[358]174
Croatia U21[358][at]15+
Croatia U19[358]11
Croatia U18[358]7
Croatia U17[358]2
Croatia U15[358]2
26 Zé RobertoD/M1,067106+1994–2017 Portuguesa[366][au]132[367]
[374]
[375]
[376]
[377]
[378]
[379]
[380]
[381]
[382]
[av]
Real Madrid[367]24
Flamengo[383]23
Bayer Leverkusen[384][375]150
Bayern Munich[384]248
Santos61
Hamburger SV[384]72
Al-Gharafa[379][367]26
Grêmio[385]119
Palmeiras[aw]128
Brazil[388][389]84
27 RivaldoM1,063+450+1989–2015 Paulista[390]48+[391]
[392]
[393]
[390]
[394]
[395]
[ax]
[ay]
Santa Cruz[391][390]54
Mogi Mirim[392][393]48
Corinthians Paulista[az]58
Palmeiras[ba]120
Deportivo La Coruña46
Barcelona[396]235
Milan40
Cruzeiro[391]10
Olympiacos Piraeus[405][406]101
AEK Athens[391]44
Bunyodkor[407]80
São Paulo[391]46
Kabuscorp[391][390]21+
São Caetano[391]19
Brazil[392][395]77
Brazil Olympic team[395]7
Brazil U20[394]9
28 Andrés IniestaM1,0601172000– Barcelona B54[408]
[409]
[410]
[411]
[412]
[413]
[414]
[bb]
Barcelona[410]679
Vissel Kobe[416][bc]135
Emirates16
Spain[419]131
Spain U2118
Spain U207
Spain U197
Spain U17[420][173]4
Spain U16[421][422]7
Spain U15[423]2
29 Alan BallM1,057+226+1960–1983 Ashton United[424][425]7[426]
[427]
[428]
[424]
[429]
[430]
[431]
[432]
[433]
[434]
[bd]
[be]
Blackpool[426]164
Everton[428][437]254
Arsenal[426][438]218
Hellenic[427]4+
Southampton[426]234
Philadelphia Fury33
Vancouver Whitecaps31
Floreat Athena[439][440]3
Eastern[435][427]12+
Bristol Rovers[426]17
England[430][427]72
England U23[430][20]8
30 Andoni ZubizarretaG1,05601977–1998 Aretxabaleta[441][442]?[443]
[444]
[445]
[446]
[441]
[442]
[bf]
Alavés B[443]32
Alavés[443]4
Bilbao Athletic[443]7
Athletic Bilbao[450]239
Barcelona[451]410
Valencia[452]184
Spain[453][444]126
Spain Olympic team[444]1
Spain U23[444]23
Spain U21[444]17
Spain U19[444]1
Spain U18[444]12
31 David SeamanG1,053+01982–2004 Peterborough United[454]109[454]
[455]
[456]
[457]
[458]
[459]
[460]
[461]
[462]
[bg]
Birmingham City84
Queens Park Rangers[454][bh]175+
Arsenal[455][471]568
Manchester City26
England[459][457]75
England B[459][309]6
England U21[459][472]10
32 Glenn FergusonF1,0475631987–2011 Ards72[473]
[474]
[475]
[476]
[477]
[bi]
Glenavon367
Linfield519
Lisburn Distillery82
Northern Ireland[474][475]5
Northern Ireland B[476][474]2
33 Kazuyoshi MiuraF1,046+296+1985– Juventus-SP[bj]?[483]
[478]
[484]
[485]
[486]
[487]
[488]
[bk]
Santos[bl]39+
Palmeiras[bm]25+
Matsubara[bn]6+
Clube de Regatas Brasil[bo]4
XV de Jaú[bp]26+
Coritiba[bq]59
Verdy Kawasaki[br]253
Genoa[487]23
Croatia Zagreb12
Kyoto Purple Sanga[483][487]51
Vissel Kobe[483][487]127
Yokohama FC[bs]298
Sydney FC[bt]6
Suzuka Point Getters[483][519]18
Oliveirense8
Japan B[bu]2
Japan[bv]89
34 Frank LampardM1,0463121995–2016 West Ham United187[520]
[521]
[522]
[523]
[524]
Swansea City[525]11
Chelsea[526]648
Manchester City38
New York City31
England[524]106
England B[309]1
England U21[527]19
England U18[528]5
35 Paolo MaldiniD1,044451985–2009 Milan[529]902[530]
[531]
[532]
[533]
[534]
[bw]
Italy[535]126
Italy Olympic team1
Italy U21[536]12
Italy U18[534]3
Ryan GiggsM1,044181+1989–2014 Manchester United[537][538]963[539]
[540]
[541]
[538]
[542]
[543]
[544]
[bx]
Wales[543][538]64
Great Britain[540][542]4
Wales U21[543][538]1
Wales U18[538]3
England Schoolboys[546][543]9
37 Sergio RamosD1,0361422002– Sevilla Atlético31[547]
[548]
[549]
[550]
[551]
Sevilla81
Real Madrid671
Paris Saint-Germain58
Spain180
Spain U216
Spain U197
Spain U17[551]1
Spain U16[551]1
38 Graham AlexanderD1,025131+1988–2012 Scunthorpe United202[552]
[306]
[553]
[554]
[555]

[556]
[557]
[558]
[559]
[560]
Luton Town183
Burnley[561]178
Preston North End[562]421
Scotland[563]40
Scotland B[564][565]1
39 Noel BailieD/M1,02411[by]1989–2011 Linfield[568][569]1,013[570]
[566]
[571]
[572]
[573]
[bz]
Northern Ireland U23[574]1
Northern Ireland U21[574][571]2
Northern Ireland U17[572]1
Northern Ireland U16[572]7
40 David JamesG1,023+01985–2014 Watford98[575]
[576]
[577]
[578]
[579]
[ca]
[cb]
Liverpool[582]277
Aston Villa85
West Ham United102
Manchester City100
Portsmouth158
Bristol City84
Bournemouth19
Vestmannaeyjar23
Kerala Blasters[583]12
England[578]53
England B[309][584]2
England U21[527]10
England Schoolboys[cb]?
41 Timmy SimonsD/M1,023951995–2018 KTH Diest88[87]
[586]
[587]
[588]
[589]

[590]
[591]
[592]
Lommel74
PSV Eindhoven218
1. FC Nürnberg110
Club Brugge[589]439
Belgium[593][590]94
42 Pepe ReinaG1,01801998– Barcelona C3[594]
[595]
[596]
[597]
Barcelona B41
Barcelona[598]51
Villarreal190
Liverpool[599]394
Napoli182
Bayern Munich3
Milan13
Aston Villa12
Lazio54
Spain36
Spain U2120
Spain U18[597][600]2
Spain U172
Spain U169
Spain U156
43 Ian CallaghanM1,017+70+1960–1982 Liverpool[601][602]870[603]
[604]
[601]
[602]
[605]
[606]
[607]
[cc]
[cd]
Fort Lauderdale Strikers[604][606]20
Swansea City[610]91
Canberra City[604][606]9+
Cork United[604][606]2+
Crewe Alexandra[605]17
England[606][609]4
England U23[20][609]4
44 Clarence SeedorfM1,0171591990–2013 Ajax90[611]
[612]
[613]
[614]
[615]
[616]
[617]
[618]
[619]
Sampdoria34
Real Madrid[620]159
Inter Milan[621][613]93
Milan432
Botafogo81
Netherlands[614]87
Netherlands U21[615]1
Netherlands U19[616]21
Netherlands U17[617]12
Netherlands U16[618]6
Netherlands U15[619]1
45 James MilnerM1,0101002001– Leeds United54[622]
[623]
[624]
[625]
[626]
[627]
[628]
[629]
Swindon Town6
Newcastle United136
Aston Villa126
Manchester City203
Liverpool332
Brighton & Hove Albion20
England[629]61
England U21[630]48
England U20[631]6
England U19[632]1
England U17[633]11
England U16[634]6

Notes

See also

References

Bibliography

* Shepherd, Richard (2002). The Definitive: Cardiff City F.C. SoccerData Publications. ISBN 1-899468-17-X.
* Giggs, Ryan (2006). Giggs: The Autobiography. London: Penguin Books. ISBN 978-0-14-102401-1.
* Hayes, Dean (2006). The Who's Who of Cardiff City. Breedon Books. ISBN 1-85983-462-0.
* Balagué, Guillem (2013). Messi. Orion Books. ISBN 978-1-4091-4659-9.

External links

Kolos, Vladimir; Dorian, Leveque. "Thousand Matches". RSSSF. Retrieved 24 January 2023.

"History Statistics: Club 1000+ Games: Updated Ranking". IFFHS. Retrieved 29 March 2024.