The UEFA Champions League has become the dream of most professional footballers. Some are content just to dispute it, others are preparing with the aim of raising the long-awaited “orejona”; but nevertheless, everyone agrees that the atmosphere of this competition is different and that the matches that are played are not similar to those of any other tournament. Champions League nights are magical.
Many are the players who have shone in this competition with unforgettable performances. But nevertheless, Only a group of footballers can boast of having played more than a hundred matches of Champions League. For this reason, we bring you the 10 footballers who have played the most European Cup matches.
Sergio Ramos: 137 matches
The Spanish central defender is considered a legend of the European Cups due to his performances with Real Madrid, club with which he won the title up to four times, being captain in three of these championships, earned consecutively (2016, 2017 Y 2018). The now PSG player can boast of being the protagonist of several unforgettable moments in the history of the competition, such as his double in the semifinals against Bayern Munich and his goal against Atlético de Madrid in the final in Lisbon. Ramos is also one of the few players to have scored in two finals...not bad for a defender.
Toni Kroos: 137 matches
The German midfielder has been part of two of the most powerful teams that have ever played in this tournament: Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, with which he has come to raise up 5 times the Champions League, second only to Francisco "Paco" Gento. His performances in the center of the field of the Real Madrid team were vital for the Spanish club to win the Champions League in 2016, 2017, 2018 Y 2022.
Ryan Giggs: 141 matches
This excellent Welsh footballer came at some point to occupy the first place as the player with the most appearances in the Champions League. The high level that he maintained throughout his career at Manchester United caused him to be a regular in his team's line-ups, who helped reach the final of the competition up to four times, winning two of them (1999 Y 2008). Giggs always made an important contribution to the Red Devils in the European Cup, where he registered 28 annotations.
Thomas Müller: 141 matches
One of the best German players of all time and a benchmark for a historic club like Bayern Munich. Since his debut in the competition in the season 2008/09, Thomas has been one of the players who has brought the most glamor to the European Cup, which he has won twice (2013 Y 2020. Müller is not only the German player who has played the most Champions League games, but it is also, without being a striker, the top German scorer in the history of the competition with 53 targets.
Raul Gonzales: 142 matches
The "Ángel del Madrid" is a true legend of this competition. His memorable performances credit him as one of the highest performing players in Champions League history., having accumulated 71 targets in 142 matches, figures that at some point placed him as the absolute leader in both departments. Raúl exuded class and talent on the fields of Europe, winning the orejona three times and scoring in two finals. For the memory of the fans remains his gallop all over the field in the final of the year 2000 against Valencia, to write down later. Being a Shalke player 04 German put in another great performance by reaching the semifinals in the season 2010/11, year in which he was a member of the ideal eleven of the competition for the last time.
Karim Benzema: 150 matches
The first appearance of the "Cat" in the European Cup occurred when he was still a teenager wearing the Olimpique de Lyon uniform; but nevertheless, His best performances in the Champions League came wearing the Real Madrid shirt, club with which he has won the competition up to 5 opportunities. The French accumulates 90 goals throughout his career in this competition, occupying fourth place in the scoring table; While, their 150 matches played place him fifth among the players with the most matches. His best season was the 2021/22, where he finished as the top scorer of the contest with 15 targets in 12 and was chosen as the best player in the Champions League that year.
Xavi Hernandez: 151 matches
The brain of FC Barcelona, one of the best spanish teams history, he squandered talent in abundance on all the grounds he covered playing in the Champions League. His style of play in short, of possession and very vertical was essential to give mobility to the midfield of a team that millions of football fans fell in love with. With an impressive track record in which his four European Cups stand out (2006, 2009, 2011 Y 2015), Xavi occupies the historic fourth place in the ranking of the footballers with the most participation in the Champions League. His partnership with Andrés Iniesta is considered one of the best that has been seen in the history of this tournament..
Lionel Messi: 162 matches
Since the 7 from December to 2004 the argentine star made his debut in the Champions League against Shaktar Donetsk has not stopped breaking record after record in this competition. Messi can boast of having won the European Cup four times, having participated in three finals, winning them all and scoring in two of them (2009 Y 2011). Their 162 matches place him on the podium of the players with the most matches played in the Champions League, but their 129 goals are the second highest number achieved by a player. Lionel Messi's magical nights are counted by lots, because he owns the record, with Cristiano Ronaldo, to have scored 8 hat-tricks. further, He is one of the few players who have managed to score five goals in the same match, the victim being the German Bayer Leverkusen. The Camp Nou in Barcelona and the rest of the European stadiums have surrendered for more than a decade to the enormous talent of the Argentine, who is currently trying to emulate his legendary continental performances at French PSG.
Iker Casillas: 177 matches
The 15 September 1999 the public following the Champions League witnessed the debut of the Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas. A few months later, the 24 May of 2000, the same public witnessed the final of the European Cup between Valencia and Real Madrid, where Casillas started as a starter. That was just the beginning of one of the most prolific careers for a player in the history of the competition.. Iker's saves served to save Madrid hundreds of times, establishing the goalkeeper in legendary status, not only from the white club, but of European football. The fans do not forget the final of the 2002, held in glasgow, when Iker came on as a substitute, replacing the injured César Sánchez, and ended up establishing himself as the hero of the match by continually stopping the shots of the German Bayer Leverkusen players. Iker was an indisputable member of Real Madrid for a decade and a half, in which he was able to win the European Cup three times, being the captain who would raise the famous "Décima".
Cristiano Ronaldo: 183 matches
Cristiano Ronaldo was born to play in the Champions League. Throughout his career his performances in this competition have elevated him to the football Olympus, establishing himself as the leader of the teams in which he has played. The 1 October of the 2003, with only 18 years and 238 days, the Portuguese star debuted in the competition. But nevertheless, almost two decades later, would end up being the player with the most games played in the history of the Champions League with 183 Y, even though it took 27 matches to score their first goal, He is also the top scorer in the history of the European Cup with 140 goals. Cristiano has won the competition five times: one with Manchester and four with Real Madrid. further, He is the only player to have scored in three finals. His performances have been memorable., highlighting his Chilean goal against Juventus, being considered by many the most beautiful in the history of the competition. He is also remembered as the architect of important comebacks, among which stand out Madrid-Wolfsburgo and Juventus-Atlético de Madrid. Undoubtedly, Cristiano Ronaldo is, not to be absolute, one of the best players in the history of the European Cup.
The UEFA Champions League is the most prestigious competition at club level, and throughout its history it has served to show the best world cracks to the fans. Fans from all over the world can enjoy the Champions League the traditional way or watch the streaming football matches and in any case admire the talent of these players and a tournament that has no peers on the world football scene due to its "magical nights"..
