When debates over who is the best footballer of all time arise, something that is often noted is their longevity. It has no effect on their talent, of course, but to say that you’ve played more games than others is a testament to a player’s character, to their physical capabilities and how dedicated they are to their craft.
It seems as if Lionel Messi, who has played for a couple of top sides in Europe, has been around for years – and that he has. There are still plenty of footballers, of past and present, that have played more games than the talismanic Argentine.
But who has played more games than the ever-loveable Messi? From his arch-nemesis Cristiano Ronaldo to Rogerio Ceni, there are 13 players – plenty of whom have now retired – who have racked up more appearances, according to BBC Sport and Planet Football. Here they are.
15 Footballers To Have Played Most Games in History
Rank
15.
14.
13.
12.
11
10 Roberto Carlos – 1,136
roberto carlos
Roberto Carlos is best remembered for his role at Real Madrid, a club he played 572 times for. Oh, and that free kick for Brazil against France in 1997, of course. An innovator at left-back, his willingness to maraud up the flank like it was going out of fashion set a benchmark for those that followed.
But one of the most impressive things about the Brazilian’s career was his near-exemplary injury record. Collating a total of 1,136 during that time, that was largely thanks to the fact that he missed a mere 35 games across his club career. Carlos will forever be remembered as one of the best left-backs in football history.
9 Yasuhito Endo – 1,141
Yasuhito Endo
A lesser-known name given that he spent the entirety of his 1,141-outing career in his homeland, Japan, Yasuhito Endo is the ninth-highest appearance maker in the history of football, having racked up just five more games than Carlos. Endo’s playing days, which saw him compete at three World Cups, spanned 25 years.
A 152-cap Japan international, the former midfielder enjoyed the longest spell of his career at Gambo Osaka (781 games) – and, as a result, he has the most appearances in the Japanese top flight. Although he may not be a household name in Europe, the 45-year-old is recognised as true footballing royalty in Asia.
8 Gianluigi Buffon – 1,155
Gianluigi Buffon
A goalkeeping legend of the highest order, Gianluigi Buffon is often labelled as the crème de la crème in his position – and for good reason, too. There are very few that have boasted the same sort of longevity as the classy Italian – especially for clubs with similar credibility: Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain.
The one-time World Cup winner, who only retired two years ago, spent the majority of his career – 685 games, to be precise – in Turin. In turn, Buffon won plenty of silverware in the black and white of the Old Lady – but the Champions League trophy managed to evade him, despite playing 1,155 senior games.
7 Tommy Hutchinson – 1,178
tommy hutchinson
Tommy Hutchinson, having racked up 1,178 matches across his quietly brilliant career, is just one of two midfielders on this list. And that’s not usual given how tiring patrolling the engine room is, as those in the middle are expected to cover every blade of grass, especially back in the day when football was more chaotic.
Now aged 77, Hutchinson called it quits in 1994 after a career that would be envied by many. He racked up 17 caps for Scotland – and, in that time, he played twice at the 1974 World Cup, against Zaire and Yugoslavia. At club level, he played 314 times for Coventry City, 178 times for Swansea City and 46 times for Manchester City.
6 Barry Hayles – 1,188
barry hayles
Jamaica international Barry Hayles is a legend in the non-league echo chamber – but he also managed to play in the Premier League with Fulham. The former centre-forward’s story is as heroic as they come; and he was part of the team that helped the Cottagers reach the big time back at the turn of the millennium.
He hung up his boots in 2023, at the tender age of 51, after his final season at FC Windsor, which proves that he is among the game’s most dedicated players. Elsewhere, Hayles enjoyed spells at clubs such as Stevenage Borough, Truro City, Willesden Hawkeye and Bristol Rovers. All in all, he played 1,188 games.
5 Rogerio Ceni – 1,226
Rogerio Ceni in action for Sao Paulo
Rogerio Ceni is a name that should resonate with all – if you’ve ever witnessed a video of a goalkeeper banging in a free-kick, it was most likely footage of the Brazilian shot-stopper. In fact, he holds the record for the most goals by a goalkeeper in football history: his set-piece duties saw him rack up 131 strikes.
That is, of course, unheard of for a player in his position. A 16-cap Brazil international, Ceni is a one-time World Cup winner – but the majority of his senior career appearances came at club level. Although he began his career with Sinop, the goalkeeper spent a large chunk of his career (just shy of 1,2000 matches) at Sao Paulo.
4 Cristiano Ronaldo – 1,283
cristiano ronaldo
Commonly regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, Cristiano Ronaldo is forever commended for his longevity in the upper echelons of football: from a young and tricky winger for Sporting CP to being Al-Nassr’s goal scorer-in-chief at the tender age of 40. It’s as if he’s never going to stop playing football!
There is every chance that Ronaldo, Portugal’s all-time top goalscorer, is eyeing the top spot on this list but, of course, whether the seasoned goal-getter is physically able to reach that milestone remains to be seen. At the time of writing, he’s chalked up 1,283 games in the senior football sphere.
3 Paul Bastock – 1,284
Paul Bastock
Goalkeepers, as we’ve found out from this list, have a tendency to defy the physical capabilities of footballers – and Paul Bastock, born and raised in Leamington Spa, is the epitome of that. A stint in the United States aside, Bastock enjoyed a 24-year career in his homeland, playing for the likes of Bath City and Kettering.
The glovesman, uncapped by England, began his career in the youth ranks of Coventry City in 1988 – but he went on to become something of a journeyman over the next two decades or so. Revered as a non-league icon, he is best known for his stint with Boston United, where he totalled an unsurmountable number of matches – 679.
2 Peter Shilton – 1,390
Peter Shilton
Topping the list until very recently was England legend Peter Shilton, who remains the Three Lions’ most capped player of all time. In a 20-year period between 1970 and 1990, he represented his country on 126 different occasions – and one of his most memorable moments was saving that Pele header. Watch it below:
"What a save!” the BBC’s David Coleman famously said – but Shilton is also remembered for his longevity at club level, having turned out for the likes of Leicester City, Nottingham Forest, Southampton and Stoke City before hanging up his gloves in 1997. What helped was that he began his career at 16!
1 Fabio – 1,391
fabio fluminense
A name that has been a headline-stealer of sorts recently, Fabio – who plies his trade for Brazilian side Fluminense – usurped the aforementioned Shilton once he made his 1,391st appearance of his career. Playing in the last 16 of the Copa Sudamericana, his side beat America de Cali 2-0 at the famous Maracana.
But the win was made all the sweeter as 44-year-old Fabio – who started all six matches for Fluminense at the FIFA Club World Cup – engraved his name in football history. His record may be matched or shattered one day (and he probably knows that better than anyone else!); but for the time being, he stands tall and proud at the summit of the list.
All statistics per Planet Football and BBC Sport - correct as of 21/08/2025