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Playing for your country is one of the greatest achievements in football. While some players are content with a single cap, others become stalwarts for their nation, consistently demonstrating their skills on the international stage.
Maintaining a spot on the national team is challenging, especially with the heavy demands of club football. Yet, some players have amassed impressive numbers of international appearances, securing their place in football history.
When it comes to the record for the most international caps, Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal leads the pack. He has accumulated a remarkable 214 appearances for his country, surpassing the previous record held by Kuwait’s Bader Al-Mutawa, who has 196 caps and is still technically eligible to play for Kuwait, though he hasn’t featured for them since 2022.
In fourth place on the all-time list is Argentina’s Lionel Messi, with 187 appearances for his national team. These numbers highlight the exceptional longevity and dedication of these players to their international careers.
Top 10 most caps in men’s international football
| Rank | Player | Country | Caps |
| 1. | Cristiano Ronaldo* | Portugal | 214 |
| 2. | Bader Al-Mutawa | Kuwait | 196 |
| 3. | Soh Chin Ann | Malaysia | 195 |
| 4. | Lionel Messi* | Argentina | 187 |
| 5. | Ahmed Hassan | Egypt | 184 |
| 6. | Ahmed Mubarak | Oman | 183 |
| = | Hassan Al-Haydos | Qatar | 183 |
| 8. | Sergio Ramos | Spain | 180 |
| 9. | Andres Guardado | Mexico | 179 |
| 10. | Claudio Suarez | Mexico | 177 |
| = | Hossam Hassan | Egypt | 177 |
Top 10 most caps in women’s international football
| Rank | Player | Country | Caps |
| 1. | Kristine Lilly | USA | 354 |
| 2. | Christine Sinclair | Canada | 331 |
| 3. | Carli Lloyd | USA | 316 |
| 4. | Christie Pearce | USA | 311 |
| 5. | Mia Hamm | USA | 276 |
| 6. | Julie Foudy | USA | 274 |
| 7. | Abby Wambach | USA | 255 |
| 8. | Joy Fawcett | USA | 241 |
| 9. | Caroline Seger | Sweden | 240 |
| 10. | Formiga | Brazil | 234 |