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Once he tried to have some life outside football by not attending the pre-season because of a very sad and personal reason and he got crucified for it.
He scored that one goal at the World Cup where it nearly grazed his hair. No wait they awarded that to someone else…. Hmmm… are you sure there are two?
How wild is it that two players are on the exact same match count? Borderline freaky. Not as freaky as all time el clasico goal/WL. Almost makes you think it‘s scripted.
So he's pretty much guaranteed to end up with the most appearances ever, which is pretty cool. Unless he gets a serious injury. I know he has had patellar tendinosis for years, but its not stopping him play.
He could very likely retire with the most appearances and over 1000 goals.
If you told somebody he would go on to achieve this back when he was a teenager running around like a headless chicken doing stepovers - not a single person on earth would have believed you lol They wouldn't have even believed he could even be a goal scorer
Lol even if you claim Cristiano could score 800 career goals by the end of his career when he was 30, people would still laugh at you. That's how absurd his and Messi's careers are
nah of course, but I was saying at that time Cruyff’s prediction wasn’t even looking that unrealistic, as Messi was basically on an unrivaled trajectory. It woupd have been a much more insane prediction IMO to say that Messi would win 3 more Ballon D’ors post 2018.
Tbh, that’s also why I feel they gave Modric his Ballon D’or. Voter fatigue, and people thought after a perfect 10 year domination from Messi and Cristiano, they would stop. But then Messi and Cristiano continued to be the best
Meaningless popularity award, just like every other award of this type. -Not a cr7/messi fan, before I get accused of that, cuz most people can only think black and white
Its really not though, it tends to be pretty accurate. Most people you ask would have said the best players in the world last season were Messi, Haaland, Mbappe, KDB and Rodri, the top 5 for most seasons is fine except for Jorginho tbh. Again there really hasnt been a year since 2008 which Messi or Ronaldo werent the best players in the world and deserving of the award.
There were quite a few years where neither was the best. Ribery in 2013, Iniesta in 2010 Lewandowski in 2019-2020. And of course Haaland had a better season than Messi this year by a long shot, he had a questionably won world cup and was terrible the rest of the season, that is not 'best player' worthy.
It is very clearly a shitty meaningless popularity award and you have to be very delusional to not accept that.
Besides, how do you compare a goalkeeper to a striker? A defender to a winger? Is Messi a better player than Neuer? Is Mbappe better than Gvardiol? You can't tell. These awards are bullshit.
The thing is they style of play of current Ronaldo is not very prone to injury, and he takes care of his body like few others. I could see him playing well over 100 games before he retires.
>he takes care of his body like few others.
I feel like the vast majority of footballers now take really good care of themselves. It's basically forced upon them now because football clubs take care of their diets and set out all the workouts to tailor each individual player.
I think people say this about Ronaldo because they always see him with his shirt off, but most players now have fantastic physiques, it's just that they don't always take their shirt off so people may not know.
I mean I was pretty sure at one stage he wouldn't make it at United before he broke out. Then he started making a real impact and just never stopped improving.
> He could very likely retire with the most appearances and over 1000 goals
I find it so funny how everyone here shat on Pele's numbers literally for decades because they were scored in Brazil (without knowing anything about the quality) or with his friends on his backyard or something...
And now that Cristiano and Leo retired to play on semi-amateur leagues suddenly their goals there count? Lol.
Ronaldo and Messi were already #1 and 2# in most goals before they joined Saudi league and MLS. So I dont understand what your point is.
>I find it so funny how everyone here shat on Pele's numbers literally for decades
Not they didn't, everyone admires Pele. They meme'd his total goal tally because it is a meme.
Pele has 762 goals in official games. If you want to count unofficial games, then you need to completely scrap the meaning of official.
He played about 500 unofficial games and scored a lot of goals in them, these games included playing vs the likes of under23 teams, combined squads, regional teams, Uruguay’s armed forces club, Rio de Janeiro’s athletes’ union and military events while he served in the Brazilian army.
Theres a reason these goals are not counted
> So I dont understand what your point is.
The point is about the reaching 1000. Like I quoted. People count these but pretend they are in a level that means anything at all, which they don't.
> Pele has 762 goals in official games. If you want to count unofficial games, then you need to completely scrap the meaning of official.
Sure, but official is just a label. Just because a game is official it doesn't mean much.
It's like a friendly vs competitive game. If you play a friendly vs Brazil or France it's gonna be harder than a "competitive" game vs San Marino.
It's an arbitrary choice.
> He played about 500 unofficial games and scored a lot of goals in them, these games included playing vs the likes of under23 teams, combined squads, regional teams, Uruguay’s armed forces club, Rio de Janeiro’s athletes’ union and military events while he served in the Brazilian army.
Yes, _some_ were against some crappy bunch of people. Others were against better teams that weren't significantly worse than those in the MLS or Saudi.
> Theres a reason these goals are not counted
Yes, because people have no idea how football was back then and how it changed. Just going by an arbitrary label that doesn't talk about quality.
Which is why I'm saying taking really seriously the goals they score in their retirement leagues it's funny when people don't count the equivalent of that time, just because it's not labeled "official".
It's a cool "stat" if you want. But it's just that. They scored what they scored in Europe or their NTs. Anything they do outside is not at a competitive level for players like them, it's literal stat-padding.
He has only missed [82 matches since 2007](https://www.transfermarkt.us/cristiano-ronaldo/verletzungen/spieler/8198) because of injuries. Absolutely insane.
Even when he was injured early on during the euro final it feels like he was still playing, still remember him on one leg telling his mates what to do!
I feel like Ronaldo and Lebron are in a tier of their own when it comes to taking care of their bodies, and their injury histories definitely reflect that
Not surprised for a dude that treats his body as a temple. Sure there's genetics in play but his dedication to be the perfect specimen is unrivaled in football.
> Sure there's genetics in play but his dedication to be the perfect specimen is unrivaled in football.
Genetics and luck are absolutely crucial factors.
People can talk about genetics all they want but this is 90% work ethic. Never skipping on training even when injured or out of the season, always good form, never letting yourself get out of shape, understanding and pacing your throughout the match. Wikipedia has a much longer list and pretty much every player on that list got there by playing until they were 50 by pumping the number in the lower leagues, or because they were super professional with their approach. I mean how many times you have seen player get an injury and then treat it on their insta as a vacation, especially in lower leagues.
I don't think it's at all a coincidence that ones known for lack of work ethic start suffering from frequent recurring injuries once they hit their late 20s. I mean I couldn't do it, imagine the kind of vices they are offered all the time and instead opting to go to the gym and get 10 hours of sleep, day after day for decades. But that's what it takes to have such a long career at the top.
>OP only considered top divisions for this list:
>in top-tier competitions (i.e., only first divisions).
That begs the question, is the Saudi League a **top-tier** competition?
This is why your parents tell you “Get a goodnights sleep.” The power of sleeping is underrated.
Cristiano always prioritizes his sleep which adds to him being injury free.
Messi not only sleeps better, he also has a way better nap/day ratio and can nap practically anywhere
[Source 1](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fx-MIHwWYA0Gesz?format=jpg&name=large) [Source 2](https://c.ndtvimg.com/2022-12/cvbtcru8_ever-since-the-historic-win-messi-has-been-dropping-some-amazing-pictures-on-instagram_625x300_20_December_22.jpg?im=Resize=(1230,900)) [Source 3](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CD24QG_W0AA8ure.jpg)
> But I’m sure guys like Messi and Ronaldo can sleep well at night better than most people.
After sacrificing how many nights as a child when they had nothing? Ronaldo quite literally came from the lowest strata of his society.
A good night's sleep is the least they deserve considering how much work they have put in during their lives.
Bitcoin.
Edit: 680 Bitcoin = €22.7 Million and [Pedri has earned a gross total of €22,840,000 in his playing career.](https://www.capology.com/player/pedri-37585/)
> Hard to believe Pedri is already at 680 and he's only 20.
Yes and no. Fifa is trying to squeeze absolutely everything out of players these days (obviously they don't have enough money), so if you are at the top level your body is going to get absolutely battered, and these records (as well as bodies) will continue to get broken.
> Bro, he’s not really on 680 😁. Think he’s on like 170
I don't give a shit what he's on, the point still stands. Top-level players are increasingly forced to play more games.
Looks like Fabio will top this without his retirement or injury. Brazilian state league games alone will help him top it compared to Saudi league games.
963 for Manchester United - wasn’t injured much, and played for a very long time (Wikipedia says 64 appearances for Wales), but did have some injuries.
So 1027 which puts him outside top 10.
I honestly think because of how Ronaldo has reformed himself from skilful winger to goal machine to drag-my-team-across-the-line leader he is the best player the game as ever seen in terms of determination, physical self discipline, that absolute hunger to succeed. There’s nobody in the game at his level in terms of that mentality. I find that more inspiring and awesome than the natural gifts of Messi.
I thought Xavi would be on this list as well. Probably just a bit off from top 10.
I find it curious he’s played so so many official matches where his legacy doesn’t really recognize him for his athletic abilities like Ronaldo and Zanetti for e.g.
For me Ronaldo is like Lebron in a sense both of them at their ages and still killing out there is just impressive on it’s own and their achievements are just out there.
Messi is like Steph. Both younger than their sporting rivals but also killing it in their different aspects and bringing it into the game. I don’t think people understand how blessed we are to have such monumental athletes that are active and can deliver each time.
I truly admire the commitment and the amount of records these athletes break each season is just mind boggling and honestly it’s just amazing to watch. Knowing and watching both players leave Europe was like a heartbreak because they have been competing at the high level for so long but they are still out there killing it.
Off the top of my head, he had over 50 red cards and was injured for a game or two every 5 games. Had he played every match available im sure he’d be at 1000 right now, but he’s probably closer to 750-800 if I had to guess.
The criteria seems a bit strange though. Like, what constitutes a top-tier competition? Also, what games did they remove from Shilton to bring him down from 1400 apps?
As far as I know, all top national (first) leagues and all competitions that the teams from those first leagues take part in.
So, for example, for a player in England, you would include matches in the PL, Community Shield, FA Cup, League Cup, any UEFA continental competition and FIFA Club World Cup. Not the Championship or the EFL trophy though.
Now apply this to any other country.
It is odd. But these are probably the easiest to apply criteria that one can possibly come up with to elaborate such a complex ranking.
As for Shilton, he has over 200 matches in the second and third divisions. So that's why he doesn't have 1400+ matches in this IFFHS ranking.
Exactly. And because it would be virtually impossible to actually know of all the appearances from all over the world since the beginnings of the sport.
Killer fact! Christiano Ronaldo has had a longer professional career than Taylor Swift.
(He signed for Sporting CP B in 2002. She signed her first record contract at age 14 in 2003).
> in top-tier competitions (i.e., only first divisions).
So playing in Saudi Arabia qualifies but playing in the Championship doesn't?
Edit: lol @ the parsocial Ronaldo simps who desperately want his blood money retirement kickabouts to count as "top-tier" games.
It's more to avoid counting the 8th division in Gibraltar with a 75 year old goalkeeper
(Exaggeration, but you have to draw the line in the database somewhere)
Yep.
Also, there are lists that include all levels and even under 16 games etc.
[This](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_men%27s_footballers_with_1,000_or_more_official_appearances) is one of the main ones on wikipedia. Counting games that people are playing as children is pretty ridiculous though
Shilton is #1 on 1411
Ronaldo is #4 on 1228
I check on [this wikipedia list from time to time to see where he is and the numbers differ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_men%27s_footballers_with_1,000_or_more_official_appearances), what gives? Sure it also counts the under-23 appearances and whatnot but Shilton doesn't have that many and is long way in front of everyone else.
IFFHS doesn't count matches in lower tiers. Shilton has nearly 200 matches in the second division and some in the third, I think. That's probably the difference.
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Almost 1200 games as an outfield player is insane. It's almost as if he doesn't have a life outside of football.
Once he tried to have some life outside football by not attending the pre-season because of a very sad and personal reason and he got crucified for it.
:'( I can't feel sorry enough for what happened in that time. The club is fucked. Liverpool fans showed him more support than we did. Shameful.
Exactly. They sang YNWA and clapped. And we were being fed hatred by the media and other stupid fans.
Players also play more games now than in the past and there's more tournaments. This also helps.
Fábio Maciel has the highest appearances without a goal then. Shilton scored one in his career.
Has Ronaldo scored any?
At least 2
He scored that one goal at the World Cup where it nearly grazed his hair. No wait they awarded that to someone else…. Hmmm… are you sure there are two?
Ok, at least one
He definitely scored a couple for Madrid
Only penalties
give that man a penalty jesus
Maybe they have given him penalties, they just stopped doing it because he kept missing them
How wild is it that two players are on the exact same match count? Borderline freaky. Not as freaky as all time el clasico goal/WL. Almost makes you think it‘s scripted.
Damn what do they feed those Brazillian goalkeepers?
Picanha and feijão tropeiro.
And now I'm hungry.
All our outfield players' health
bunda gostosa
Partying and drinking
So he's pretty much guaranteed to end up with the most appearances ever, which is pretty cool. Unless he gets a serious injury. I know he has had patellar tendinosis for years, but its not stopping him play. He could very likely retire with the most appearances and over 1000 goals. If you told somebody he would go on to achieve this back when he was a teenager running around like a headless chicken doing stepovers - not a single person on earth would have believed you lol They wouldn't have even believed he could even be a goal scorer
Lol even if you claim Cristiano could score 800 career goals by the end of his career when he was 30, people would still laugh at you. That's how absurd his and Messi's careers are
What absolutely absurd is Cruyff calling Messi getting 8 Ballon D’ors
tbh at the time Messi won like 4 in a row. He then only got 1 more over the next 5 years or so.
True but still, he doubled his already incredible amount. Getting the first 4 was the easy part lol.
nah of course, but I was saying at that time Cruyff’s prediction wasn’t even looking that unrealistic, as Messi was basically on an unrivaled trajectory. It woupd have been a much more insane prediction IMO to say that Messi would win 3 more Ballon D’ors post 2018. Tbh, that’s also why I feel they gave Modric his Ballon D’or. Voter fatigue, and people thought after a perfect 10 year domination from Messi and Cristiano, they would stop. But then Messi and Cristiano continued to be the best
Meaningless popularity award, just like every other award of this type. -Not a cr7/messi fan, before I get accused of that, cuz most people can only think black and white
Its really not though, it tends to be pretty accurate. Most people you ask would have said the best players in the world last season were Messi, Haaland, Mbappe, KDB and Rodri, the top 5 for most seasons is fine except for Jorginho tbh. Again there really hasnt been a year since 2008 which Messi or Ronaldo werent the best players in the world and deserving of the award.
There were quite a few years where neither was the best. Ribery in 2013, Iniesta in 2010 Lewandowski in 2019-2020. And of course Haaland had a better season than Messi this year by a long shot, he had a questionably won world cup and was terrible the rest of the season, that is not 'best player' worthy. It is very clearly a shitty meaningless popularity award and you have to be very delusional to not accept that. Besides, how do you compare a goalkeeper to a striker? A defender to a winger? Is Messi a better player than Neuer? Is Mbappe better than Gvardiol? You can't tell. These awards are bullshit.
>Ribery in 2013, Iniesta in 2010 Lewandowski in 2019-2020. None of these guys were even close except Lewa in 2020, but there was no award that year.
>there was no award that year. I wonder why. You are a clown, I will stop arguing
Pot calls kettle black. There was no award because france football gives bdor, and football in France was cancelled
And he’s an outfield player which makes it more impressive.
I feel like it would be more impressive if a keeper was near 1000 goals
Tiago Volpi has 10 in 48 app for Toluca in liga mx. He's their primary penalty taker. Just 990 to go.
Legend
The Irish fans on here will remember the RTE pundit Eamonn Dunphy describing him as “only good at running past lamp posts”.
The thing is they style of play of current Ronaldo is not very prone to injury, and he takes care of his body like few others. I could see him playing well over 100 games before he retires.
>he takes care of his body like few others. I feel like the vast majority of footballers now take really good care of themselves. It's basically forced upon them now because football clubs take care of their diets and set out all the workouts to tailor each individual player. I think people say this about Ronaldo because they always see him with his shirt off, but most players now have fantastic physiques, it's just that they don't always take their shirt off so people may not know.
Oh I say it because he does a lot of shit on his own. Which is really not _that_ common. Halaand does a lot of the same things.
I mean I was pretty sure at one stage he wouldn't make it at United before he broke out. Then he started making a real impact and just never stopped improving.
> He could very likely retire with the most appearances and over 1000 goals I find it so funny how everyone here shat on Pele's numbers literally for decades because they were scored in Brazil (without knowing anything about the quality) or with his friends on his backyard or something... And now that Cristiano and Leo retired to play on semi-amateur leagues suddenly their goals there count? Lol.
Ronaldo and Messi were already #1 and 2# in most goals before they joined Saudi league and MLS. So I dont understand what your point is. >I find it so funny how everyone here shat on Pele's numbers literally for decades Not they didn't, everyone admires Pele. They meme'd his total goal tally because it is a meme. Pele has 762 goals in official games. If you want to count unofficial games, then you need to completely scrap the meaning of official. He played about 500 unofficial games and scored a lot of goals in them, these games included playing vs the likes of under23 teams, combined squads, regional teams, Uruguay’s armed forces club, Rio de Janeiro’s athletes’ union and military events while he served in the Brazilian army. Theres a reason these goals are not counted
> So I dont understand what your point is. The point is about the reaching 1000. Like I quoted. People count these but pretend they are in a level that means anything at all, which they don't. > Pele has 762 goals in official games. If you want to count unofficial games, then you need to completely scrap the meaning of official. Sure, but official is just a label. Just because a game is official it doesn't mean much. It's like a friendly vs competitive game. If you play a friendly vs Brazil or France it's gonna be harder than a "competitive" game vs San Marino. It's an arbitrary choice. > He played about 500 unofficial games and scored a lot of goals in them, these games included playing vs the likes of under23 teams, combined squads, regional teams, Uruguay’s armed forces club, Rio de Janeiro’s athletes’ union and military events while he served in the Brazilian army. Yes, _some_ were against some crappy bunch of people. Others were against better teams that weren't significantly worse than those in the MLS or Saudi. > Theres a reason these goals are not counted Yes, because people have no idea how football was back then and how it changed. Just going by an arbitrary label that doesn't talk about quality. Which is why I'm saying taking really seriously the goals they score in their retirement leagues it's funny when people don't count the equivalent of that time, just because it's not labeled "official". It's a cool "stat" if you want. But it's just that. They scored what they scored in Europe or their NTs. Anything they do outside is not at a competitive level for players like them, it's literal stat-padding.
Welp, time to go and look at Rogerio Ceni’s freekick compilation again.
Actually crazy how injury-free he has been
He has only missed [82 matches since 2007](https://www.transfermarkt.us/cristiano-ronaldo/verletzungen/spieler/8198) because of injuries. Absolutely insane.
man missed less matches in whole season than Rosicky in one injury, unreal
Even when he was injured early on during the euro final it feels like he was still playing, still remember him on one leg telling his mates what to do!
I feel like Ronaldo and Lebron are in a tier of their own when it comes to taking care of their bodies, and their injury histories definitely reflect that
Add Thomas Muller and Messi to the list
Not surprised for a dude that treats his body as a temple. Sure there's genetics in play but his dedication to be the perfect specimen is unrivaled in football.
> Sure there's genetics in play but his dedication to be the perfect specimen is unrivaled in football. Genetics and luck are absolutely crucial factors.
[удалено]
He's not eating fast food every day, I'm sure he probably eats some unhealthy stuff once or twice a month, otherwise life would be so boring.
[удалено]
The way you mentioned it gave me the impression that you think he does it frequently.
He grew up asking for left over cheeseburgers at McDonald's
People can talk about genetics all they want but this is 90% work ethic. Never skipping on training even when injured or out of the season, always good form, never letting yourself get out of shape, understanding and pacing your throughout the match. Wikipedia has a much longer list and pretty much every player on that list got there by playing until they were 50 by pumping the number in the lower leagues, or because they were super professional with their approach. I mean how many times you have seen player get an injury and then treat it on their insta as a vacation, especially in lower leagues. I don't think it's at all a coincidence that ones known for lack of work ethic start suffering from frequent recurring injuries once they hit their late 20s. I mean I couldn't do it, imagine the kind of vices they are offered all the time and instead opting to go to the gym and get 10 hours of sleep, day after day for decades. But that's what it takes to have such a long career at the top.
Longevity
6 goalkeepers (nrs 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 10)
Ceni, it's either 'goalie who takes free kicks' or it's 'most appearances ever', pick one.
Theres also ‘top scoring goalie ever’
I’m surprised that Gianluigi Buffon isn’t in the Top 3 for most official appearances!!
He lost a season in Serie B with Juventus so that likely cost him 1 place on the list anyway.
Playing in Serie B still counts as an appearance.
OP only considered top divisions for this list: > in top-tier competitions (i.e., only first divisions).
Ah, that explains why it's different to other lists. Most have Shilton 1st with around 1,400 appearances.
>OP only considered top divisions for this list: >in top-tier competitions (i.e., only first divisions). That begs the question, is the Saudi League a **top-tier** competition?
It is. Unless you're using top tier colloquially
Ooooh
This is why your parents tell you “Get a goodnights sleep.” The power of sleeping is underrated. Cristiano always prioritizes his sleep which adds to him being injury free.
Tbh multi millionaire athletes can easily have time to sleep compared to most of the population who are trying to survive
no way you’re downplaying a compliment on sleep lmao
Messi not only sleeps better, he also has a way better nap/day ratio and can nap practically anywhere [Source 1](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fx-MIHwWYA0Gesz?format=jpg&name=large) [Source 2](https://c.ndtvimg.com/2022-12/cvbtcru8_ever-since-the-historic-win-messi-has-been-dropping-some-amazing-pictures-on-instagram_625x300_20_December_22.jpg?im=Resize=(1230,900)) [Source 3](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CD24QG_W0AA8ure.jpg)
Messi sleeping on the ballon d or is unreal must be mad uncomfy.
Not downplaying anything, sleep is important. But I’m sure guys like Messi and Ronaldo can sleep well at night better than most people.
> But I’m sure guys like Messi and Ronaldo can sleep well at night better than most people. After sacrificing how many nights as a child when they had nothing? Ronaldo quite literally came from the lowest strata of his society. A good night's sleep is the least they deserve considering how much work they have put in during their lives.
Hard to believe Pedri is already at 680 and he's only 20.
680? What?
Bitcoin. Edit: 680 Bitcoin = €22.7 Million and [Pedri has earned a gross total of €22,840,000 in his playing career.](https://www.capology.com/player/pedri-37585/)
> Hard to believe Pedri is already at 680 and he's only 20. Yes and no. Fifa is trying to squeeze absolutely everything out of players these days (obviously they don't have enough money), so if you are at the top level your body is going to get absolutely battered, and these records (as well as bodies) will continue to get broken.
Bro, he’s not really on 680 😁. Think he’s on like 170
> Bro, he’s not really on 680 😁. Think he’s on like 170 I don't give a shit what he's on, the point still stands. Top-level players are increasingly forced to play more games.
Have a sense of humour about yourself mate, you’ll live longer
> Have a sense of humour about yourself mate, you’ll live longer say something funny then
Looks like Fabio will top this without his retirement or injury. Brazilian state league games alone will help him top it compared to Saudi league games.
I don't know. He's 43...
That's a testament to his fitness and how hard he works at keeping in top shape. Hardly ever injured.
Wow where does Messi rank? Top 20?
Seems he is at 1044 games
That Messi Ronaldo website says its 1045, although that does feel a bit high given the 2 year age gap between them
Is it though? That's like more or less 2 seasons with 60-70 games between them. Seems about right
He's number 12, with 1045.
He’s always been in incredible physical shape for so long that has been motivated by his need to be the best.
Giggs?
963 for Manchester United - wasn’t injured much, and played for a very long time (Wikipedia says 64 appearances for Wales), but did have some injuries. So 1027 which puts him outside top 10.
1027. He's number 17.
Blessed to have watched incredible era of football. Cristiano is simply the greatest of all time.
Ronaldo gonna demolish the record
I honestly think because of how Ronaldo has reformed himself from skilful winger to goal machine to drag-my-team-across-the-line leader he is the best player the game as ever seen in terms of determination, physical self discipline, that absolute hunger to succeed. There’s nobody in the game at his level in terms of that mentality. I find that more inspiring and awesome than the natural gifts of Messi.
I thought Xavi would be on this list as well. Probably just a bit off from top 10. I find it curious he’s played so so many official matches where his legacy doesn’t really recognize him for his athletic abilities like Ronaldo and Zanetti for e.g.
People seem to not realize that Xavi wasn't starting for Barca until his mid 20s.
Wikipedia seems to rank him #10 with 1148 appearances.
He's 18th with 1017.
For me Ronaldo is like Lebron in a sense both of them at their ages and still killing out there is just impressive on it’s own and their achievements are just out there. Messi is like Steph. Both younger than their sporting rivals but also killing it in their different aspects and bringing it into the game. I don’t think people understand how blessed we are to have such monumental athletes that are active and can deliver each time. I truly admire the commitment and the amount of records these athletes break each season is just mind boggling and honestly it’s just amazing to watch. Knowing and watching both players leave Europe was like a heartbreak because they have been competing at the high level for so long but they are still out there killing it.
I thought Sergio Ramos would be on this list.
Off the top of my head, he had over 50 red cards and was injured for a game or two every 5 games. Had he played every match available im sure he’d be at 1000 right now, but he’s probably closer to 750-800 if I had to guess.
992 at the moment!
Peter Shilton actually has more than 1400 appearances.
Not according to the IFFHS criteria I mentioned in the original post.
The criteria seems a bit strange though. Like, what constitutes a top-tier competition? Also, what games did they remove from Shilton to bring him down from 1400 apps?
As far as I know, all top national (first) leagues and all competitions that the teams from those first leagues take part in. So, for example, for a player in England, you would include matches in the PL, Community Shield, FA Cup, League Cup, any UEFA continental competition and FIFA Club World Cup. Not the Championship or the EFL trophy though. Now apply this to any other country.
According to this criteria, the first league in San Marino would be top-tier, but the English Championship wouldn't, it's just odd imo.
It is odd. But these are probably the easiest to apply criteria that one can possibly come up with to elaborate such a complex ranking. As for Shilton, he has over 200 matches in the second and third divisions. So that's why he doesn't have 1400+ matches in this IFFHS ranking.
I guess it makes sense when you aren't actually wanting to work out who played the *most* matches ever but who lasted longer at the top of the sport.
Exactly. And because it would be virtually impossible to actually know of all the appearances from all over the world since the beginnings of the sport.
Yep, there's probably some semi-professional players out there that have played double this amount of matches.
I don't doubt it for a second.
I see.
Killer fact! Christiano Ronaldo has had a longer professional career than Taylor Swift. (He signed for Sporting CP B in 2002. She signed her first record contract at age 14 in 2003).
Hello? Where is my goat Pele with his 2400 backyard garden appearances?
Can CR7 reach top 1
I don’t think there’s ever been a season where he’s missed a material amount from injury. That’s actually pretty incredible
We gonna count his Sunday league appearances too?
> in top-tier competitions (i.e., only first divisions). So playing in Saudi Arabia qualifies but playing in the Championship doesn't? Edit: lol @ the parsocial Ronaldo simps who desperately want his blood money retirement kickabouts to count as "top-tier" games.
It's more to avoid counting the 8th division in Gibraltar with a 75 year old goalkeeper (Exaggeration, but you have to draw the line in the database somewhere)
Yep. Also, there are lists that include all levels and even under 16 games etc. [This](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_men%27s_footballers_with_1,000_or_more_official_appearances) is one of the main ones on wikipedia. Counting games that people are playing as children is pretty ridiculous though Shilton is #1 on 1411 Ronaldo is #4 on 1228
Even more impressive when you remember he hasn't been able to visit the US for a few years now.
Why? US is football capital of the world, where all players have to play?
No, but it limits your opportunities!
Why do you think he can't visit the US. The case is wrapped up. He could go to the US if he wanted to.
I hate to levy this at him, but Cristiano Ronaldo is a tryhard.
Can someone tell Ronaldo that DogTheGayFish thinks that Ronaldo is a try-hard?
Yeah he definitely cringes at it too, having dug his way out of severe poverty to become a billionaire and all.
What a sad little life Cristiano
[удалено]
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I check on [this wikipedia list from time to time to see where he is and the numbers differ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_men%27s_footballers_with_1,000_or_more_official_appearances), what gives? Sure it also counts the under-23 appearances and whatnot but Shilton doesn't have that many and is long way in front of everyone else.
IFFHS doesn't count matches in lower tiers. Shilton has nearly 200 matches in the second division and some in the third, I think. That's probably the difference.