Cristiano Ronaldo, the iconic figure in the realm of football, has added another remarkable chapter to his illustrious career by securing the title of the player with the most games in the 21st century. The International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) recently revealed the list of players with the most appearances in this century, with Ronaldo claiming the top position with an impressive 1204 official appearances.
This extraordinary journey spans across renowned clubs such as Sporting CP, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, Al-Nassr, and the Portugal National Team. At the age of 38, Ronaldo’s unwavering commitment is evident, maintaining an astonishing average of 52 matches per year for an unprecedented 22 consecutive years.
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In an intriguing turn of events, Lionel Messi, Ronaldo’s perennial rival in the quest for supremacy, narrowly missed securing a podium position, finding himself in the fourth spot on the list with 1,047 matches. Messi’s appearances include stints with clubs like Barcelona, PSG, Inter Miami, and the Argentine National Team.
The top three positions on the list are occupied by Brazilian goalkeeper FΓ‘bio (1,156 matches) and former Barcelona right-back Dani Alves (1,056 games). Notably, only four players have surpassed the 1000-game mark, while 21 players boast over 900 games, including 17 who are currently active players.
The top 10 players with the most matches in the 21st century are as follows:
- Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) – 1204
- FΓ‘bio (Brazil) – 1156
- Dani Alves (Brazil) – 1056
- Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 1047
- Luka ModriΔ (Croatia) – 1010
- JoΓ£o Moutinho (Portugal) – 997
- Iker Casillas (Spain) – 974
- Sergio Ramos (Spain) – 974
- Zlatan IbrahimoviΔ (Sweden) – 953
- AndrΓ©s Iniesta (Spain) – 949
While Ronaldo leads the 21st-century appearances, he is within striking distance of the overall record held by Rogerio Ceni, who boasts 1,225 matches. With Ronaldo only 21 appearances away from this historic milestone, the current season holds the promise of more records being etched into the football history books, perpetuating the exhilarating battle for supremacy in the 21st century.
