List of men's footballers with the most official appearances
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/43/Peter_Shilton.png/170px-Peter_Shilton.png)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/67/Roberto_Carlos_in_Moscow_3.jpg/170px-Roberto_Carlos_in_Moscow_3.jpg)
This is a list of the footballers who have played at least 1,000 official football matches at all age levels: regarding junior levels, only the matches with national teams are counted, because such data for club levels cannot be found for the majority of the players.
The current active player with the most official appearances is Paul Bastock with 1284 appearances, primarily across the English lower leagues, who is also the active goalkeeper with the most official appearances, and Cristiano Ronaldo is the active outfield player with the most official appearances, and 4th of all time among the outfield players.
Goalkeepers' career on average spans longer and so they play more matches on average, as they face fewer physical challenges than outfield players.[1][2]
Ranking[]
- As of 10:00, 18 August 2021 (UTC)
G | Goalkeeper |
---|---|
D | Defender |
M | Midfielder |
F | Forward |
- Bold indicates the player is currently active.
- + indicates that the actual number may be higher.
Rank | Player | Pos. | Apps | Goals | Years | Career span | Teams | Apps | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
G | 1,387[3] | 1 | 31 | 1966–1997 | ![]() |
348 | [4] [5] |
![]() |
121 | ||||||||
![]() |
272 | ||||||||
![]() |
242 | ||||||||
![]() |
211 | ||||||||
![]() |
43 | ||||||||
![]() |
2 | ||||||||
![]() |
10 | ||||||||
![]() |
125 | ||||||||
![]() |
13 | ||||||||
2 | ![]() |
G | 1,284 | 0 | 33 | 1988– | ![]() |
12 | [6] [7] [8] [9] |
![]() |
1 | ||||||||
![]() |
28 | ||||||||
![]() |
27 | ||||||||
![]() |
5 | ||||||||
![]() |
678 | ||||||||
![]() |
1 | ||||||||
![]() |
315 | ||||||||
![]() |
22 | ||||||||
![]() |
41 | ||||||||
![]() |
13 | ||||||||
![]() |
39 | ||||||||
![]() |
30 | ||||||||
![]() |
25 | ||||||||
![]() |
9 | ||||||||
![]() |
35 | ||||||||
![]() |
2 | ||||||||
![]() |
1 | ||||||||
3 | ![]() |
G | 1,234 | 129 | 25 | 1990–2015 | ![]() |
20 | [10] [11] [12] |
![]() |
1,197 | ||||||||
![]() |
17 | ||||||||
4 | ![]() |
D | 1,138 | 132 | 23 | 1990–2012 2015 |
![]() |
66 | [13] |
![]() |
162 | ||||||||
![]() |
34 | ||||||||
![]() |
527 | ||||||||
![]() |
104 | ||||||||
![]() |
61 | ||||||||
![]() |
28 | ||||||||
![]() |
3 | ||||||||
![]() |
125 | ||||||||
![]() |
23 | ||||||||
![]() |
5 | ||||||||
![]() |
G | 0 | 24 | 1997– | ![]() |
23 | [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] | ||
![]() |
16 | ||||||||
![]() |
150 | ||||||||
![]() |
936 | ||||||||
![]() |
5 | ||||||||
![]() |
6 | ||||||||
![]() |
2 | ||||||||
6 | ![]() |
M | 1,136 | 138 | 22 | 1997–2019 | ![]() |
61 | [19] [20] |
![]() |
767 | ||||||||
![]() |
117 | ||||||||
![]() |
133 | ||||||||
![]() |
6 | ||||||||
![]() |
26 | ||||||||
![]() |
6 | ||||||||
![]() |
10 | ||||||||
![]() |
10 | ||||||||
7 | ![]() |
G | 1,130 | 0 | 26 | 1995– | ![]() |
220 | [21] |
![]() |
685 | ||||||||
![]() |
25 | ||||||||
![]() |
176 | ||||||||
![]() |
4 | ||||||||
![]() |
11 | ||||||||
![]() |
3 | ||||||||
![]() |
3 | ||||||||
![]() |
3 | ||||||||
8 | ![]() |
G | 1,119 | 0 | 22 | 1998–2020 | ![]() |
26 | [22] |
![]() |
4 | ||||||||
![]() |
725 | ||||||||
![]() |
156 | ||||||||
![]() |
167 | ||||||||
![]() |
5 | ||||||||
![]() |
2 | ||||||||
![]() |
4 | ||||||||
![]() |
10 | ||||||||
![]() |
19 | ||||||||
![]() |
1 | ||||||||
9 | ![]() |
G | 1,118 | 0 | 23 | 1965–1988 | ![]() |
50+ | [23] [24] [25] |
![]() |
665 | ||||||||
![]() |
337 | ||||||||
![]() |
61 | ||||||||
![]() |
4 | ||||||||
10 | ![]() |
D/M | 1,114 | 31 | 22 | 1992–2014 | ![]() |
33 | [26] [27] |
![]() |
66 | ||||||||
![]() |
858 | ||||||||
![]() |
145 | ||||||||
![]() |
12 | ||||||||
11 | ![]() |
F | 1,109 | 801 | 20 | 2001– | ![]() |
2 | [28] [29] [30] |
![]() |
31 | ||||||||
![]() |
292 | ||||||||
![]() |
438 | ||||||||
![]() |
133 | ||||||||
![]() |
179 | ||||||||
![]() |
3 | ||||||||
![]() |
10 | ||||||||
![]() |
5 | ||||||||
![]() |
7 | ||||||||
![]() |
9 | ||||||||
12 | ![]() |
G | 1,096 | 1 | 23 | 1963–1986 | ![]() |
52 | [31] [32] [33] [34] [35] |
![]() |
596 | ||||||||
![]() |
327 | ||||||||
![]() |
119 | ||||||||
![]() |
1 | ||||||||
13 | ![]() |
D/M | 1,082 | 125 | 27 | 1975–2002 | ![]() |
490 | [36] |
![]() |
9 | ||||||||
![]() |
135 | ||||||||
![]() |
128 | ||||||||
![]() |
7 | ||||||||
![]() |
91 | ||||||||
![]() |
116 | ||||||||
![]() |
104 | ||||||||
![]() |
2 | ||||||||
14 | ![]() |
M | 1,079 | 321+ | 28 | 1992–2020 | ![]() |
16 | [37] [38] [39] |
![]() |
34 | ||||||||
![]() |
13 | ||||||||
![]() |
42 | ||||||||
![]() |
201 | ||||||||
![]() |
21 | ||||||||
![]() |
23 | ||||||||
![]() |
193 | ||||||||
![]() |
22 | ||||||||
![]() |
57 | ||||||||
![]() |
25 | ||||||||
![]() |
50 | ||||||||
![]() |
92 | ||||||||
![]() |
19 | ||||||||
![]() |
45 | ||||||||
![]() |
44 | ||||||||
![]() |
26 | ||||||||
![]() |
30 | ||||||||
![]() |
13 | ||||||||
![]() |
4 | ||||||||
![]() |
26 | ||||||||
![]() |
54 | ||||||||
![]() |
24 | ||||||||
![]() |
5 | ||||||||
15 | ![]() |
M | 1,077 | 155 | 23 | 1998– | ![]() |
20 | [40] [41] |
![]() |
64 | ||||||||
![]() |
790 | ||||||||
![]() |
33 | ||||||||
![]() |
152 | ||||||||
![]() |
7 | ||||||||
![]() |
11 | ||||||||
16 | ![]() |
D | 1,065 | 44 | 23 | 1947–1970 | ![]() |
434 | [42] |
![]() |
501 | ||||||||
![]() |
32 | ||||||||
![]() |
98 | ||||||||
17 | ![]() |
F | 1,064 | 462 | 21 | 1994–2015 | ![]() |
9 | [43] |
![]() |
1 | ||||||||
![]() |
741 | ||||||||
![]() |
98 | ||||||||
![]() |
61 | ||||||||
![]() |
32 | ||||||||
![]() |
102 | ||||||||
![]() |
4 | ||||||||
![]() |
9 | ||||||||
![]() |
5 | ||||||||
![]() |
2 | ||||||||
18 | ![]() |
M | 1,053 | 222 | 24 | 1960–1984 | ![]() |
7 | [44] [45] [46] |
![]() |
164 | ||||||||
![]() |
251 | ||||||||
![]() |
217 | ||||||||
![]() |
4 | ||||||||
![]() |
234 | ||||||||
![]() |
33 | ||||||||
![]() |
31 | ||||||||
![]() |
3 | ||||||||
![]() |
12 | ||||||||
![]() |
17 | ||||||||
![]() |
72 | ||||||||
![]() |
8 | ||||||||
19 | ![]() |
G | 1,046 | 0 | 22 | 1982–2004 | ![]() |
106 | [47] [48] |
![]() |
84 | ||||||||
![]() |
175 | ||||||||
![]() |
564 | ||||||||
![]() |
26 | ||||||||
![]() |
75 | ||||||||
![]() |
6 | ||||||||
![]() |
10 | ||||||||
20 | ![]() |
M | 1,044 | 315 | 22 | 1995–2017 | ![]() |
187 | |
![]() |
9 | ||||||||
![]() |
648 | ||||||||
![]() |
38 | ||||||||
![]() |
31 | ||||||||
![]() |
106 | ||||||||
![]() |
1 | ||||||||
![]() |
19 | ||||||||
![]() |
5 | ||||||||
21 | ![]() |
D | 1,041 | 45 | 25 | 1984–2009 | ![]() |
902 | [49] |
![]() |
126 | ||||||||
![]() |
1 | ||||||||
![]() |
12 | ||||||||
22 | ![]() |
D | 1,037 | 74 | 20 | 2001– | ![]() |
58 | [50] [51] [52] [53] [54] [55] |
![]() |
250 | ||||||||
![]() |
391 | ||||||||
![]() |
33 | ||||||||
![]() |
73 | ||||||||
![]() |
93 | ||||||||
![]() |
118 | ||||||||
![]() |
6 | ||||||||
![]() |
15 | ||||||||
23 | ![]() |
M | 1,036 | 183 | 24 | 1990–2014 | ![]() |
963 | [56] [57] [58] |
![]() |
64 | ||||||||
![]() |
4 | ||||||||
![]() |
1 | ||||||||
![]() |
3 | ||||||||
![]() |
1 | ||||||||
24 | ![]() |
D | 1,024+ | 11+ | 22 | 1989–2011 | ![]() |
1013+ | [59] [60] [61] [62] [63] |
![]() |
1 | ||||||||
![]() |
2 | ||||||||
![]() |
1 | ||||||||
![]() |
7 | ||||||||
25 | ![]() |
G | 1,023 | 0 | 25 | 1989–2014 | ![]() |
98 | [64] [65] |
![]() |
277 | ||||||||
![]() |
85 | ||||||||
![]() |
102 | ||||||||
![]() |
100 | ||||||||
![]() |
158 | ||||||||
![]() |
84 | ||||||||
![]() |
19 | ||||||||
![]() |
23 | ||||||||
![]() |
12 | ||||||||
![]() |
53 | ||||||||
![]() |
2 | ||||||||
![]() |
10 | ||||||||
26 | ![]() |
D | 1,022 | 107 | 21 | 1991–2012 | ![]() |
200 | |
![]() |
183 | ||||||||
![]() |
177 | ||||||||
![]() |
421 | ||||||||
![]() |
40 | ||||||||
![]() |
1 | ||||||||
27 | ![]() |
M | 1,021 | 437 | 26 | 1989–2015 | ![]() |
48 | [66] [67] [68] [69] |
![]() |
27 | ||||||||
![]() |
48 | ||||||||
![]() |
56 | ||||||||
![]() |
120 | ||||||||
![]() |
46 | ||||||||
![]() |
235 | ||||||||
![]() |
40 | ||||||||
![]() |
10 | ||||||||
![]() |
94 | ||||||||
![]() |
44 | ||||||||
![]() |
77 | ||||||||
![]() |
46 | ||||||||
![]() |
21 | ||||||||
![]() |
19 | ||||||||
![]() |
74 | ||||||||
![]() |
7 | ||||||||
![]() |
9 | ||||||||
28 | ![]() |
G | 1,020 | 0 | 19 | 1980–1999 | ![]() |
7 | [70] [71] [72] |
![]() |
239 | ||||||||
![]() |
410 | ||||||||
![]() |
184 | ||||||||
![]() |
126 | ||||||||
![]() |
1 | ||||||||
![]() |
23 | ||||||||
![]() |
17 | ||||||||
![]() |
1 | ||||||||
![]() |
12 | ||||||||
29 | ![]() |
D/M | 1,019 | 93 | 24 | 1994–2018 | ![]() |
88 | |
![]() |
71 | ||||||||
![]() |
218 | ||||||||
![]() |
110 | ||||||||
![]() |
438 | ||||||||
![]() |
94 | ||||||||
30 | ![]() |
M | 1,017 | 159 | 22 | 1992–2014 | ![]() |
90 | [73] [74] [75] [76] [77] [78] [79] [80] |
![]() |
34 | ||||||||
![]() |
159 | ||||||||
![]() |
93 | ||||||||
![]() |
432 | ||||||||
![]() |
81 | ||||||||
![]() |
87 | ||||||||
![]() |
1 | ||||||||
![]() |
21 | ||||||||
![]() |
12 | ||||||||
![]() |
6 | ||||||||
![]() |
1 | ||||||||
31 | ![]() |
M | 1,002+ | 51+ | 22 | 1960–1982 | ![]() |
870 | [81] |
![]() |
20 | ||||||||
![]() |
76+ | ||||||||
![]() |
9+ | ||||||||
![]() |
2+ | ||||||||
![]() |
15+ | ||||||||
![]() |
4 | ||||||||
![]() |
4 | ||||||||
32 | ![]() |
M | 1,001+ | 67+ | 29 | 1965–1994 | ![]() |
68+ | [59] |
![]() |
165+ | ||||||||
![]() |
314+ | ||||||||
![]() |
25+ | ||||||||
![]() |
46+ | ||||||||
![]() |
22+ | ||||||||
![]() |
92+ | ||||||||
![]() |
178+ | ||||||||
![]() |
73+ | ||||||||
![]() |
17 | ||||||||
![]() |
1 |
Trivia[]
- Roberto Carlos holds the record among the outfield players.
- Paolo Maldini has the highest number of appearances (1,028) in senior-level football, having played with the lowest amount of teams: 2 (one club, Milan, and one national football team, Italy).
- Djalma Santos was the first player who reached this record, in the late 1960s.
- Paul Bastock holds the all-time record for the most competitive club appearances in world football, having played 1,284 times in league and cup competitions, primarily across the English lower leagues.[8][9]
- Romário also made 1,000 official appearances, if 4 annulled matches are included.[82]
See also[]
- List of top international men's football goalscorers by country
- List of men's footballers with 100 or more international caps
- List of men's footballers with 50 or more international goals
- List of men's footballers with 500 or more goals
- List of goalscoring goalkeepers
- List of one-club men in football
References[]
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- ^ "Why do the goalkeepers keep playing longer than the other positions? Do their skills grow later? - Quora discussion". Quora.com. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
- ^ He has 1391 games if you include 4 games he played for the Football League XI who was a representative side of the English Football League who mostly played against the Scottish Football League XI which are some times considered more friendly. Source is this site here: http://www.rsssf.com/players/duizend.html#shilton they include the 4 games he played for Football League XI (keep in mind that they have 1390 games and not 1391 games because they are missing 1 fa cup game so 87 instead of 86 according to this cite List of men's footballers with the most official appearances at the English National Football Archive (subscription required))
- ^ "Peter Shilton". footballdatabase.eu.
- ^ "Peter Shilton". 11v11.com.
- ^ "Boston United Roll Call". Bufc.drfox.org.uk. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 12 March 2017. Retrieved 29 May 2021.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Paul Bastock breaks Peter Shilton record in Wisbech's FA Vase victory". BBC.co.uk. 11 November 2017. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Non-League Icons: Paul Bastock – Crazy, but just so committed!". theNonLeagueFootballPaper.com. 16 April 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
- ^ "Rogério Ceni". footballdatabase.eu.
- ^ "Rogério Ceni". playmakerstats.com.
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- ^ "Fábio - Cruzeiro". www.footballdatabase.eu.
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- ^ LFChistory.net. "Liverpool career stats for Ray Clemence - LFChistory - Stats galore for Liverpool FC!". www.lfchistory.net.
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- ^ "Games played by Tony Ford in 2001/2002". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 February 2013.
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- ^ "Marcelinho Paraíba :: Marcelo dos Santos :: Treze". www.ogol.com.br.
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- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 10 November 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2014.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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- ^ "Dani Alves - São Paulo". footballdatabase.eu.
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- ^ "Dani Alves :: Daniel Alves da Silva :: São Paulo". www.ogol.com.br.
- ^ "Dani Alves :: Daniel Alves da Silva ::". www.fellegger.com.br.
- ^ "Dani Alves :: Daniel Alves da Silva ::". www.fellegger.com.br.
- ^ "Dani Alves :: Daniel Alves da Silva ::". www.futebolstats.com.br.
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- ^ Jacopo Gerna (5 March 2013). "Champions, Giggs a quota 1000 presenze da professionista". La Gazzetta dello Sport. Retrieved 6 March 2013.
- ^ "Gretige Giggs richt pijlen na duizendste duel op FA Cup" (in Dutch). Voteball International. 27 January 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Appearances at club level are league matches only.
- ^ "Linfield 1-0 Portadown". BBC Sport. 30 April 2011. Retrieved 8 July 2011.
- ^ "Special presentation to Noel Bailie". Linfieldfc.com. 30 April 2011. Archived from the original on 13 January 2014. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
- ^ "Northern Ireland Under-21 Internationals". nifootball.blogspot.it. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
- ^ "Northern Ireland Under-16/17 Line-Ups (1985-2001)". nifootball.blogspot.it. Retrieved 24 May 2015.
- ^ "David James - Football stats". Soccerbase.com. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
- ^ "Inghilterra - D. James - Profile". Soccerway.com. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
- ^ "Rivaldo Paulista++". www.national-football-teams.com.
- ^ "Rivaldo Palmeiras". www.verdazzo.com.br/campeonato/.
- ^ "Rivaldo Palmeiras". www.verdazzo.com.br/jogos-anteriores-do-palmeiras/.
- ^ "Rivaldo corinthians". www.meutimao.com.br/resultados-dos-jogos-do-corinthians/.
- ^ "Athletic Club ficha jugador - Andoni Zubizarreta" (in Spanish). Athletic-club.net. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
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- ^ "Ficha de jugador: Andoni Zubizarreta" (in Spanish). ciberche.net. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
- ^ "Clarence Seedorf". inter.it. Retrieved 24 May 2015.
- ^ "Seedorf: Sempre a testa alta". acmilan.com. 21 June 2012. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
- ^ "Clarence Seedorf - Kies een team Nederlands eftal" (in Dutch). onsoranje.nl. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
- ^ "Clarence Seedorf - Kies een team Jong Oranje" (in Dutch). onsoranje.nl. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
- ^ "Clarence Seedorf - Kies een team Jeugd onder 19" (in Dutch). onsoranje.nl. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
- ^ "Clarence Seedorf - Kies een team Jeugd onder 17" (in Dutch). onsoranje.nl. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
- ^ "Clarence Seedorf - Kies een team Jeugd onder 16" (in Dutch). onsoranje.nl. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
- ^ "Clarence Seedorf - Kies een team Jeugd onder 15" (in Dutch). onsoranje.nl. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
- ^ Appearances with Swansea City, Canberra City, Cork United and Crewe Alexandra are league matches only.
- ^ "Prolific Scorers Data - Romário - Additional Data". www.rsssf.com. RSSSF. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
- Association football records and statistics
- Lists of association football players