Top 10 players with the highest number of national football appearances in history

The Al-Nassr striker, also owner of the title of top scorer in the history of national football, entered even further into the legend of Portugal with this achievement. This event also gives the opportunity to take an interest in the nine other most capped internationals in history.

10. Maynor Figueroa, the pillar of the Catrachos

175 selections with Honduras

Maynor Figueroa is one of the pillars of the selection of Honduras. Selected for the first time on January 31, 2003, he has 175 caps with the Central American country. Passed by Hull City and Wigan, the left defender was present during the 2010 and 2014 World Cups with the Hondurans. He became the captain of the Catrachos in 2014 until his last appearance on February 2, 2022 against the United States (0-3). Figueroa, used in central defense with the selection, spent 19 years and 2 days as an international from Honduras.

9. Gianluigi Buffon, the prodigy goalkeeper

176 selections with Italy

Considered one of the greatest goalkeepers in football history, Gianluigi Buffon captained Italy from 2008 until March 23, 2018, the date of his international retirement. Nazionale’s most capped player with 176 caps, he could have climbed higher in the rankings if the Italians had qualified for the 2018 World Cup (failure in the play-offs against Sweden).

The former Juventus goalkeeper made his appearance for the first time in the Italian jersey on October 29, 1997 when he played for Parma, at only 19 years old. During the 1998 World Cup, he was present in the Italian group but became a starter at the start of the millennium. Player with the greatest longevity in this ranking, he spent 20 years and 145 days in the transalpine jersey.

8. Carlos Suarez, Mexican Emperor

177 caps with Mexico

While he has spent his entire career between Mexico and the United States, Claudio Suarez has 177 selections in the Mexican jersey. Nicknamed “El Emperador” (The Emperor) across the Atlantic, the central defender was imperial for nearly 14 years in the Verde jersey.

Called up for the first time on July 26, 1992, the former Chivas and Tigres player played three World Cups with Mexico (1994, 1998, 2006), missing the 2002 one due to injury and retiring international following the 2006 World Cup. Monument of his homeland, he long held the record of selections for all countries, before being dethroned in 2012. To date, he is no longer even the most capped player in history of the Mexican selection.

7. Andrés Guardado, icon of the Tri

178 caps with Mexico

Now, this title is associated with Andrés Guardado who overtook him in Qatar. Present 178 times in the Tri jersey, the Betis midfielder (36) retired from international football following the last World Cup in the Gulf country.

While he is one of eight players in history to have taken part in five Worlds (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022), he is elevated to the rank of legend in his country and is an emblematic figure of the mexican soccer. After honoring his first cap on December 14, 2005, the Guadalajara native wore his country’s jersey for the last time 16 years and 347 days later.

6. Sergio Ramos, the upset exit

179 caps with Spain

Currently at PSG, Sergio Ramos announced his international retirement last month after compiling 179 caps with Spain. No longer fitting into Luis Enrique’s plans, the former Real Madrid rock had not been called up for Euro 2021 or the 2022 World Cup. A blow for the one who made his debut on March 26, 2005 with La Roja and who could have aimed for 200 selections without these two banishments.

Captain from the 2018 World Cup, Ramos has 23 goals while he mainly played as a right defender then central. He is the most capped player in the history of Spain with whom he won the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2008 and 2012 as a permanent starter.

5. Ahmed Mubarak, the great traveler

180 selections with Oman

He also has 23 goals but with one more selection. However, the difference between Sergio Ramos and Ahmed Mubarak is that the latter reigned in Oman’s midfield for 180 caps, or 17 years and 68 days. The Sur native made his first appearance for the Sultanate side in September 2003.

With his selection, he won the Gulf Cup, a competition between the Arab nations of the Persian Gulf, in 2009 and 2017, while being voted best player in the last edition. The one who attended 16 different clubs during his career has not been called up since December 2, 2019.

4. Ahmed Hassan, Prince of Egypt

184 caps with Egypt

From the top of his 184 selections with Egypt, Ahmed Hassan is the one who dethroned the record of Claudio Suarez in 2012. The attacking midfielder, passed by Besiktas and Anderlecht, holds the record of CAN won, he who won four (1998, 2006, 2008 and 2010) during his international career which lasted 16 years and 145 days. Author of 34 goals with the Pharaohs, Hassan was called up for the first time on December 29, 1995 and became captain at the CAN 2008.

3. Soh Chin Ann, the boss

195 caps with Malaysia

While the RSSSF and the IFFHS have acknowledged that he has played 219 times in the jersey of Malaysia, Soh Chin Ann has “only” 195 selections in the eyes of FIFA. Called up for the first time on November 19, 1969 at the age of 19, the central defender mainly played matches counting for qualifying for the Olympic Games.

Playing at that time at Melaka United, the one who was nicknamed “Tauke”, boss in Malay, took on another dimension with the Asian Cup of Nations in 1980. Malaysia had obtained an unexpected draw against a great South Korea thanks in particular to the defensive exploits of its captain Soh Chin Ann. The latter had, with this performance, been named in the typical team of the competition, which was a first for a player from Southeast Asia.

2. Bader Al-Mutawa, the short-lived leader

196 caps with Kuwait

He will not even have been able to take advantage of his status as the most capped player in the history of the selections for more than nine months. While he had reached the bar of 196 caps with Kuwait on June 14, 2022, Bader Al-Mutawa will now have to settle for second place in this ranking.

Legend of the Kuwaiti club Al-Qadsia, where he started as a professional in 2002, the 38-year-old striker also has 56 goals with the Asian selection, with whom he honored his first selection on September 4, 2003 in a meeting against in Singapore. Still in club activity with Al-Qadsia, he has not worn the Kuwait jersey since June 2022.

1. Cristiano Ronaldo, never satisfied

197 caps with Portugal

« We thought, we thought, me and my family, but we came to the conclusion that, despite the difficulties, we could not throw in the towel. […] I understood that I had a lot to bring to the national team. I feel it, I want it and my desire is to bring Portugal to the highest level. “Present at a press conference before the match against Liechtenstein (4-0), Cristiano Ronaldo joined the actions to the word by completing his 197th cap with a double Thursday in Lisbon.

“CR197” could even aim for the milestone of 200 selections. While he seems to have the confidence of new coach Roberto Martinez, he is only three games away from this unprecedented level. Already top scorer in the history of the selections with now 120 units, the five-time Ballon d’Or started on August 20, 2003. Winner of Euro 2016, Cristiano Ronaldo has been leading the Selecção attack for almost 20 years.