Top 10 National team appearances in the FIFA World Cup
Top 10 National team appearances in the FIFA World Cup. In 1930, the FIFA World Cup was established as the world’s most-watched athletic event. It is the most prestigious award that can be won by a player or a team.
The top players in the world, including Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Neymar Jr., have not won the World Cup. Having a cap for the national team is a tremendous accomplishment, but playing for your country at the World Cup is even better.
The following are the ten players who have appeared in most World Cups.
10. Grzegorz Lato (Poland) – 20 appearances
Between 1971 and 1984, Grzegorz Lato was a member of the Polish national soccer team. He scored 45 goals in 100 matches throughout this period. In the 1970s, the winger was a key member of Poland’s golden generation of footballers. At numerous big competitions, Lato has represented Poland.
At the 1972 Summer Olympics, the Polish team won the gold medal in the men’s team event. When he scored the most goals in the 1974 World Cup, he was at the pinnacle of his game. In Poland, Lato is the only player to accomplish this. The winger was a member of Poland’s 1984 World Cup-winning squad in Spain.
9. Philipp Lahm (Germany) – 20 matches
As a full-back, Lahm is up there with the finest of them all. The German defender was a success on and off the field. He never received a red card in his entire career since he played under a stringent set of rules.
Lahm is one of Germany’s all-time greatest players and captains. German international footballer Philipp Lahm has made 113 appearances for the national team, including appearances at the 2006, 2010, and 2014 World Cups. He appeared in all 20 of Germany’s games at the FIFA World Cup.
At the 2010 World Cup, only Lahm played every minute. The Bayern Munich legend led his team to a 7-1 victory over France and Brazil at the 2014 World Cup. After that, Germany beat Argentina in the final. Lahm announced his retirement from international football after the 2014 World Cup.
8. Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany) – 20 matches
Schweinsteiger, like Lahm before him, is a Bayern Munich and German football legend. On the list of Germany’s most-capped players, the midfielder ranks fourth. He played 124 times for his country, scoring 24 goals in that time.
Like Lahm, Schweinsteiger earned 20 appearances for Germany at the World Cup. Also, he has competed in the World Cup three times (2006, 2010, 2014). He was a terrific midfielder who was also extremely versatile. Midfielder, playmaker, and playmaker were some of the roles he played for the German national team. It was at the 2014 World Cup that Schweinsteiger made his most significant impact, helping Germany defeat Argentina in the championship game. Lionel Messi couldn’t get past him, but he was able to keep his side in the tournament.
7. Cafu (Brazil) – 20 matches
With Dani Alves and Philipp Lahm, Cafu is one of the best right-backs of all time. Even though he may be underappreciated by the current generation, the Brazilian has a solid reputation in the world of football.
Brazil’s most capped player is the full-back. While playing for the national team, he appeared in over 140 games, including four World Cups. During the World Cup, Cafu made 20 appearances as well. He does, however, have one notable accomplishment to his credit. Only one other player appeared in three World Cup finals in a row, and that was Ronaldo of Brazil. In 1994 and 2002, he was crowned World Cup champion.
6. Wladyslaw Zmuda (Poland) – 21 matches
Zmuda is a somewhat obscure footballer in today’s game. The goalkeeper is a Polish national hero. However, he is deserving of greater esteem and adulation.
Two goals and appearances at four World Cups in 91 appearances for Poland have earned the defender 91 caps. At the World Cup, he has made 21 appearances and is on par with or even better than many of the sport’s most celebrated namesakes. Zmuda and Uwe Seeler and Maradona are tied for third place. At the 1974 World Cup, the defender was also named the tournament’s Young Player of the Tournament.
5. Diego Maradona (Argentina) – 21 matches
Diego Maradona is a household name. In addition to Pele, Messi, and Ronaldo, he is widely considered to be one of the greatest players of all time. Excellent playmaker and visionary Maradona possessed the best of both worlds. He played in 91 matches and scored 34 goals for Argentina. Aside from that, he’s made a total of 21 appearances in World Cups.
The Argentinian was also a member of the Argentina team at four World Cups. At the 1986 World Cup, Argentina beat West Germany in the final, and he was the star of the tournament.
However, two of Maradona’s most memorable World Cup performances came against the England national team in 1984. Diego sealed the victory with a hat trick against the Three Lions. There was no handling foul called on the first goal, which became known as the “Hand of God” goal. Maradona’s second goal was memorable because he dribbled past five England defenders on his own and scored.
4. Uwe Seeler (Germany) – 21 matches
Germany has a strong domestic and international football record. Uwe Seeler, for example, was a prolific goal-scorer for the German national team. In 72 games, he scored 43 goals for the German national team. He has also competed in four World Cups (1958,1962,1966 and 1970). In addition, Seeler has appeared in 21 games. He did not, however, win a single World Cup in which he played.
Even yet, this Seeler has a long list of accomplishments to his name. He became the only player in World Cup history to appear in all 20 games. Player to score in four different World Cups and the first to do so in four different tournaments. Nine goals were scored by the German icon during the four World Cups he participated in.
3. Paolo Maldini (Italy) – 23 matches
It’s widely accepted that Maldini is one of the greatest defenders in history. Cesare Maldini, Cesare Maldini’s father, was also a professional footballer. During Cesare’s call-up of Paolo to the Italy U-21 squad, At the tender age of 19, AC Milan great Gianluigi Buffon made his professional debut.
Over the course of his 16-year international career, he earned 126 caps for Italy. At the World Cup, he played 23 times for his country. When it comes to World Cup appearances, Maldini has set a new record (2216 minutes). With seven appearances at the World Cup in 1990, Maldini made an immediate impression. Five consecutive clean sheets were the result of his leadership in the defense.
2. Miroslav Klose (Germany) – 24 matches
Germany’s all-time leading goalscorer is Klose. He is one of only a handful of World Cup players to have earned three medals: bronze, silver, and gold. Klose played 137 times for Germany and is often regarded as a prolific goalscorer.
On his debut at the 2002 World Cup, the striker scored five goals, making an immediate impression. The next year, he won the Golden Boot for a second time. His four goals at the 2010 World Cup were followed by two at the 2014 event, which was his final appearance at a World Cup.
In total, he made 24 appearances for his country at the World Cup. Ronaldo Nazario’s tally of 16 goals is better than his. After Germany’s sensational World Cup victory in 2014, he stepped down from the national team.
1. Lothar Matthaus (Germany) – 25 matches
As expected, German is at the top, which is a reflection of the country’s long-term success. Perhaps the finest German player ever is Matthaus.
The midfielder was a flexible player who could play both offensive and defensive roles at the same time. Because of his endurance, passing, and technical skills, he was the primary box-to-box midfielder. At the World Cup in Brazil, Matthaus played a total of 25 games, including 15 starts.
It’s been five World Cups for the German midfielder. In 1990, he led his team to victory and was awarded the Ballon d’Or. Along with Antonio Carbajal, he’s the only player with five World Cup appearances.