IFFHS WORLD RANKING - PLAYERS WITH MOST GAMES IN XXI CENTURY


Picture : Cristiano Ronaldo leads the ranking.


IFFHS World Ranking: Players with Most Games in XXI Century

We update the ranking of most experienced players in the current century, as it stands after the end of 2022.
Cristiano Ronaldo, on the eve of his new challenge in Asia, leads it with 1145 games, having more than 100-game advantage to others. 
Before the past year, CR7 was yet the only one in the world football to reach 1000 level games for clubs and country. In 2022, two new players have crossed the mark, Dani Alves and Lionel Messi.
Another two, Sergio Ramos and Luka Modric, have reached 900 appearances on top level. So, the number of players with 900+ games in XXI century increased to 12, including 9 still active (taken bold) and 3 retired.
We have also included in the table further 11 players who are below 900 games in XXI but have amassed this sum adding the games played in XX century, with the condition that significant majority of their games (not less than 65 percent) were held in XXI. Such players can be conditionally taken as “players of XXI century”.
One of them is Pepe Reina who has played his 900th top level game for Villarreal just on the last day of 2022. But he started his senior career yet in 2000, so his first 6 matches came in XX century (and next 894 in XXI).
So, along with the main ranking (Total XXI) with 12 members we put also an extended parallel ranking Total Career where the mentioned category of players is included as well. 
This parallel ranking is led by Rogério Ceni (1214 games) while Cristiano Ronaldo is 2nd in it.


 PLAYERS WITH MOST GAMES        
 IN XXI CENTURY        
          
 PlayerCountryGames   TotalTotalTotal
   NLNCICCNTXXIXXCareer
1Cristiano RonaldoPortugal 651932051961145 1145
2Dani AlvesBrazil6201151721261033 1033
3Lionel MessiArgentina 5591021701721003 1003
4Iker CasillasSpain58557171161974741048
5João MoutinhoPortugal563107142146958 958
6Zlatan Ibrahimović  Sweden 603721521219489957
7Luka ModrićCroatia56969147162947 947
8Yasuhito EndōJapan60611766152941841025
9Xavi Spain 53695174132937801017
10Sergio RamosSpain53470151180935 935
11Andrés IniestaSpain55298152131933 933
12Rogério CeniBrazil6757114999043101214
 Javier ZanettiArgentina 44950128907173831100
 Gianluigi BuffonItaly528361331608572121069
 RaúlSpain45457115626883461034
 Frank Lampard England5071051241058411691010
 Timmy SimonsBelgium571641169484599944
 Oswaldo Sánchez  Mexico512135788670269939
 Zé RobertoBrazil4925712138708228936
 Thierry Henry France422399698655262917
 Petr Čech Czech Republic5527513812488920909
 Dirk Kuyt Netherlands553609910481687903
 Pepe ReinaSpain62648184368946900


All games at top senior level are counted (top national divisions, national cups, official international club tournaments, official games between national teams).
Brazilian state championships Paulista and Carioca have status equal to national leagues (according to IFFHS decision).

Period:
from January 1, 2001 to December 31, 2022 (for the ranking Total XXI);
from career start to December 31, 2022 (for the ranking Total Career).

Abbreviatures:
NL – National League
NC – National Cups
ICC – International Club Competitions
NT – National Team