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Longest NT careers

14K views 147 replies 28 participants last post by  jamesbh11 
#1 · (Edited)
I´d love to compile list of players with longest NT careers. Helped myself with list of footballers with most caps

25 years, 2 months, 19 days (9211 days) César Cueto (Peru) 1972-1997 (6.6.1972 - 24.8.1997)

25 years (9131 days) William Henry "Billy" Meredith (Wales) 1895-1920 (16.03.1895-15.03.1920)


25 years (needs to be narrowed) Lee Ramoon, Cayman Islands, 1979-2004

22 years, 7 months, 17 days
(8265 days) Sir Stanley Matthews (England) 1934-1957

22 years, 3 months, 7 days Pat Onstad (Canada) 18.02.1988 - 24.05.2010.

22 years, 1 month, 29 days (8094 days) Pat Jennings (N.Ireland) 15-4-64 12-6-86

21 years, 4 months, 13 days Kalusha Bwalya (Zambia) 24.04.1983 - 05.09.2004
Note. First game he has played in qualification match for African Cup of Nations in Ndola against Sudan and last match against Liberia in 2004.

21 years, 2 months, 29 days Bill Lacey (Northern Ireland/Irish Free State) 13.02.1909 - 11.05.1930

21 years, 2 months, 9 days (7741 days) Mágico González (El Salvador) 1976-1998 (1.12.1976 - 9.2.1998)

21 years, 27 days (7697 days) Jari Litmanen (Finland) 22.10.1989-17.11.2010

20 years, 11 months, 10 days (7651 days) Mimis Domazos (Greece) 2.12.1959-11.11.1980

20 years, 9 months, 20 days
(7599 days) Ryan Giggs (Wales/G.Britain) 1991-2012 Note: still active player

20 years, 9 months, 14 days (7592 days) Hossam Hassan (Egypt) 1985-2006 (10.9.1985-26.6.2006)

20 years, 6 months, 4 days (7491 days) Imre Schlosser (Hungary) 7.10.1906-10.4.1927

20 years, 5 months (7456 days) Russel Latapy (Trinidad Tobago) 30.10.1988 - 29.3.2009

20 years, 3 months Dwight Yorke (Trinidad Tobago) 13- 5-1989 - 12- 8-2009

20 years 2 months 9 days, Carlo Weiss (Luxembourg), debuted 22.03.1978 vs Poland, last match 31.05.1998 vs Cameroon

20 years, 1 month, 1 day Sargis Hovsepyan (Armenia) 14.10.19.92 - 14.11.2012.

20 years, 7 days (7312 days) Lothar Matthaus (W.Germany/Germany) 14.6.1980-20.6.2000

19 years, 7 months, 13 days (7165 days) Peter Shilton (England) 25.11.1970-7.7.1990 - Note: played 12 games in his last year

19 years, 5 months, 30 days (7121 days) Roberto Palacios (Peru) 24.11.1992-23.5.2012 Note: last game 3 years after his real NT retirement

19 years, 3 months, 15 days (7047 days) Mark Schwarzer (Australia) 31.7.1993-14.11.2012 Note: still active player

19 years, 20 days Abe Lenstra (Netherlands) 31.03.1940 - 19.04.1959

18 years, 10 months, 21 days (6900 days) Carmel Busuttil (Malta) 5.6.1982-25.4.2001

18 years, 10 months, 11 days (6889 days) Guðni Bergsson (Iceland), 1.8.1984 - 11.6.2003

18 years, 8 months, 27 days (6844 days) Morten Olsen (Denmark) 23.9.1970-18.6.1989 all games on rsssf


18 years, 1 month, 28 days Gunnar Gren (Sweden) 29.08.1940 - 26.10.1958
18 years Iván Hurtado (Ecuador) 1992-2010 Note: still active player
18 years Luis Capurro (Ecuador) 1985-2003
18 years Tony Meola (USA) 1988-2006
18 years Fritz Walter (Germany/W.Germany) 1940-1958
18 years Romário (Brazil) 1987-2005
18 years Alfred Bickel (Switzerland) 1936-1954
18 years Rüştü Reçber (Turkey) 1994-2012
18 years Sami Hyypiä (Finland) 1992-2010
18 years Toni Polster (Austria) 1982-2000
18 years Vitālijs Astafjevs (Latvia) 1992-2010
18 years Mario Frick (Liechtenstein) 1993-2011 Note: still active
18 years Ríkharður Jónsson (Iceland) 1947–1965
18 years Arnór Guðjohnsen (Iceland) 1979–1997



Other interesting names

17 years Billy McCracken (Ireland) 1902-1919
(17 years, 3 months, 29 days)Diego Maradona (Argentina) 27.02.1977 - 25.06.1994
17 years Silvio Piola (Italy) 1935-1952
17 years Ferenc Puskás (Hungary/Spain) 1945-1962
17 years Tóth-Potya István (Hungary) 1909-1926
17 years Ferenc Bene (Hungary) 1962-1979
17 years Javier Zanetti (Argentina) 1994-2011 Note: still active player
17 years Gheorghe Hagi (Romania) 1983-2000
17 years Andriy Shevchenko (Ukraine) 1995-2012
17 years Hugo Sánchez (Mexico) 1977-1994
17 years Rigobert Song (Cameroon) 1993-2010
17 years Martin Reim (Estonia) 1992-2009 157 caps
17 years Andres Oper (Estonia) 1995 Edit: still active 129 caps
17 years Mart Poom (Estonia) 1992-2009 120 caps
17 years Bogdan Stelea (Romania) 1988-2005
17 years Kasey Keller (USA) 1990-2007
17 years Álex Aguinaga (Ecuador) 1987-2004
17 years David Carabott (Malta) 1987-2005
17 years Carlos Pavón (Honduras) 1993-2010
17 years Rúnar Kristinsson (Iceland) 1987-2004
17 years Harry Kewell (Australia) 1996 - 2013 still active
17 years Gigi Buffon (Italy) 1997 - 2013 still active

16 years, 10 months, 25 days Nwankwo Kanu (Nigeria) 1994-2011 (05.05.1994. - 29.03.2011.)
16 years, 9 months, 28 days Jordão (Portugal) 29.03.1972 - 25.01.1989
16 years, 7 months, 6 days Hermann Springer (Switzerland) 06.10.1929 - 11.05.1946
16 years, 4 months, 19 days Turgay Şeren (Turkey) 28.05.1950 - 16.10.1966
16 years, 4 months, 18 days Ernst Ocwirk (Austria) 19.08.1945 - 05.01.1962
16 years, 3 months, 25 days Lájos Tichy (Hungary) 1955-1971 (08.05.1955. - 01.09.1971.)
16 years, 1 month Luis Cristaldo (Bolivia) 1989-2005 (10.09.1989. - 09.10.2005.)
16 years, 15 days Ronny Johnsen (Norway) 08.08.1991 - 22.08.2007
16 years, 9 days Walter Weiler (Switzerland) 10.10.1926 - 18.10.1942
16 years Ted Doig (Scotland) 1887-1903
16 years Gren Morris (1896-1912) Wales
16 years Uwe Seeler (W.Germany) 1954-1970
16 years Antonio Carbajal (Mexico) 1950-1966
16 years Roberto Baggio (Italy) 1988-2004
16 years Paolo Maldini (Italy) 1988-2002
16 years Hakan Sukur (Turkey) 1992-2008
16 years Thomas Ravelli (Sweden) 1981-1997
16 years Miroslav Karhan (Slovakia) 1995-2011
16 years Michael Laudrup (Denmark) 1982-1998
16 years Vlastimil Kopecky (Czechoslovakia) 1932-1948
16 years Zdeněk Nehoda (Czechoslovakia) 1971-1987 Note: his last game was 10min cameo (aka NT testimonial) 5 years after his last NT appearance
16 years Djalma Santos (Brazil) 1952-1968
16 years Elías Figueroa (Chile) 1966-1982
16 years Cafú (Brazil) 1990-2006
16 years Carlos Caszely (Chile) 1969-1985
16 years Ángel Labruna (Argentina) 1914-1958
16 years Tore Keller (Sweden) 1924-1940
16 years Oleg Blokhin (USSR) 1972-1988
16 years Dorinel Munteanu (Romania) 1991-2007
16 years Edwin van der Sar (Netherlands) 1992-2008
16 years Hans-Jürgen Dörner (East Germany) 1969-1985
16 years Denis Law (Scotland) 1958-1974
16 years John Stern (Trinidad and Tobago) 1995-2011
16 years Lee Woon-Jae (South Korea) 1994-2010
16 years Héctor Chumpitaz (Peru) 1965-1981
16 years Roger Milla (Cameroon) 1978-1994
16 years Stem John (Trinidad Tobago) 1995 -2011
16 years Arnold Dwarika (Trinidad Tobago) 1993-2009
16 years Antonio "Tota" Carbajal (Mexico) 1950-1966

15 years, 11 months, 28 days Jim Leighton (Scotland) 13.10.1982 - 10.10.1998
15 years, 11 months, 28 days Henrik Larsson (Sweden) 1993-2009 (13.10.1993 - 10.10.2009)
(15 years, 9 months, 21 days) Angel LABRUNA (Argentina) 25.08.1942 - 15.06.1958
15 years, 8 months, 7 days Wilfried van Moer (Belgium) 22.10.1966 - 28.06.1982
15 years, 8 months, 4 days Ian Rush (Wales) 21.05.1980 - 24.01.1996
15 years, 7 months, 16 days Michel Preud'homme 02.05.1979 - 17.12.1994
15 years, 7 months, 15 days Reidar Kvammen (Norway) 05.11.1933 - 19.06.1949
15 years, 7 months, 9 days André Abegglen (Switzerland) 06.11.1927 - 14.06.1943
15 years, 6 months, 21 days Alain Geiger (Switzerland) 19.11.1980 - 08.06.1996
15 years, 6 months, 8 days Ivor Allchurch (Wales) 15.11.1950 - 22.05.1966
15 years, 6 months, 1 day Eric Gerets 27.09.1975 - 27.03.1991
15 years, 5 months, 27 days Ricardo Zamora (Spain) 28.08.1920 - 23.02.1936
15 years, 5 months, 1 day Björn Nordqvist (Sweden) 04.05.1963 - 04.10.1978
15 years, 2 months, 25 days Neville Southall (Wales) 27.05.1982 - 20.08.1997
15 years, 2 months, 23 days John Charles (Wales) 08.03.1950 - 30.05.1965
15 years, 2 months, 15 days Bruno Pezzey (Austria) 07.06.1975 - 21.08.1990
15 years, 2 months, 5 days Faas Wilkes (Netherlands) 10.03.1946 - 14.05.1961
15 years, 1 month, 25 days Gyula Grosics (Hungary) 20.08.1947 - 14.10.1962
15 years, 1 month, 9 days Jan Heintze (Denmark) 29.04.1987 - 06.06.2002
15 years, 1 month, 8 days Mark Hughes (Wales) 02.05.1984 - 09.06.1999
15 years, 25 days Andreas Herzog (Austria) 06.04.1988 - 30.04.2003
15 years, 21 days Peter Ducke (East Germany) 30.10.1960 - 19.11.1975
15 years, 3 days Dean Saunders (Wales) 26.03.1986 - 28.03.2001
15 years Johan Studnicka (Austria) 1902-1918
15 years John Darling (Ireland) 1897-1912
15 years James McMenemy (Scotland) 1905-1920
15 years Jenö Karöly (Hungary) 1903-1918
15 years Lot Jones (Wales) 1905-1920
15 years Dino Zoff (Italy) 1968-1983
15 years Héctor Scarone (Uruguay) 1917-1932
15 years William Martínez (Uruguay) (1950-1965)
15 years Enzo Francescoli (Uruguay) (1982-1997)
15 years József Bozsik (Hungary) 1947-1962
15 years Laszlo Kubala (Czechoslovakia/Hungary/Spain) 1946-1961
15 years Joachim Streich (E.Germany) 1969-1984
15 years Herbert Prohaska (Austria) 1974-1989
15 years Lefter Küçükandonyadis (Turkey) 1948-1963
15 years Bülent Korkmaz (Turkey) 1990-2005
15 years Luís Figo (Portugal) 1991-2006
15 years Gheorghe Popescu (Romania) 1988-2003
15 years Dragan Džajić (Yugoslavia) 1964-1979
15 years Krasimir Balakov (Bulgaria) 1988-2003
15 years Zizinho (Brazil) 1942-1957
15 years Claudio CANIGGIA (Argentina) 1987 - 2002
15 years Atli Eðvaldsson (Iceland) 1976–1991
15 years Hermann Hreiðarsson (Iceland) 1996–2011
15 years Helgi Sigurðsson (Iceland) 1993–2008
15 years Andy Selva (San Marino) 1998 - 2013 still active player
15 years Cuauhtemoc Blanco (Mexico) 1995-2010

14 years, 11 months, 6 days Thorbjørn Svenssen (Norway) 1947-1962 (11.06.1947 - 16.05.1962)
14 years, 9 months, 25 days Renzo De Vecchi (Italy) 26.05.1910 - 22.03.1925
(14 years, 8 months, 10 days) Jorge VALDANO (Argentina) 18.7.1975 - 28.3.1990
14 years, 5 months, 24 days Walter Zeman (Austria) 06.12.1945 - 29.05.1960
14 years, 3 months, 24 days Kees Rijvers (Netherlands) 10.03.1946 - 03.07.1960
(14 years, 3 months, 08 days) Juan Carlos IRIBARREN (Argentina) 22.10.1922 - 30.01.1937
14 years Alfredo Di Stefano (Argentina/Colombia/Spain) 1947-1961
14 years Paul Van Himst (Belgium) 1960-1974
14 years Roberto Carlos (Brazil) 1992-2006
14 years Pelé (Brazil) 1957-1971
14 years Ferenc Szusza (Hungary) 1942-1956
14 years Roger Courtois (France) 1933-1947
14 years Jozef Adamec (Czechoslovakia) 1960-1974
14 years Johann Buzek (Austria) 1955-1969
14 years Peter Schmeichel (Denmark) 1987-2001
14 years Tugay Kerimoğlu (Turkey) 1992-2006
14 years Marius Lacatus (Romania) 1984-1998
14 years Cosmin Contra (Romania) 1996-2010)
14 years Bogdan Lobont (Romania) 1998-2012) y still active
14 years Silviu Lung (Romania) 1979-1993)
14 years Giacinto Facchetti (Italy) 1963-1977
14 years Ruud Krol (Netherlands) 1969-1983)
14 years Frank de Boer (Netherlands) 1990-2004
14 years Alex McNair (Scotland) 1906-1920
14 years Hugh Wilson ( Scotland) 1890-1904
14 years Ferenc Weisz (Hungary) 1903-1917
14 years Maris Verpakovskis (Latvia) 1999 - 2013 still active player

(13 years, 10 months, 25 days)Diego SIMEONE (Argentina) 14.07.1988 - 07.06.2002
(13 years, 7 months, 20 days) Jose Manuel MORENO (Argentina) 1936 - 1950
13 years Dejan Stanković (Serbia) 1998-2011
13 years Lubomir Moravcik Czechoslovakia/Slovakia 1987-2000

12 years Robert Jarni (Croatia) 1900-2002
12 years Marcelo Balboa (USA) 1988-2000
12 years Zlatko Zahovic Slovenia 1992-2004
12 years Viktor Onopko Russia 1992-2004
 
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#40 ·
Krasimir Balakov (Bulgaria): 15 years (1988-2003)
Lubomir Moravcik (Czechoslovakia + Slovakia): 13 years (1987-1993;1994-2000)
Zlatko Zahovic (Slovenia): 12 years (1992-2004)
Viktor Onopko (Russia): 12 years (1992-2004)
 
#50 ·
Other romanians with long careers

Bogdan Stelea (1988-2005) 17 y
Dorinel Munteanu (1991-2007) 16 y
Gheorghe Popescu (1988-2003) 15 y
Marius Lacatus (1984-1998) 14 y
Cosmin Contra (1996-2010) 14 y
Bogdan Lobont (1998-2012) 14 y still active
Silviu Lung (1979-1993) 14 y
Ion Voinescu (1949-1962) 13 y
Ladislau Boloni (1975-1988) 13 y
Cornel Dinu (1968-1981) 13 y


Maybe I will find someone else and I will edit the list
added :thumbsup:
 
#48 ·
Other romanians with long careers

Bogdan Stelea (1988-2005) 17 y
Dorinel Munteanu (1991-2007) 16 y
Gheorghe Popescu (1988-2003) 15 y
Marius Lacatus (1984-1998) 14 y
Cosmin Contra (1996-2010) 14 y
Bogdan Lobont (1998-2012) 14 y still active
Silviu Lung (1979-1993) 14 y
Ion Voinescu (1949-1962) 13 y
Ladislau Boloni (1975-1988) 13 y
Cornel Dinu (1968-1981) 13 y


Maybe I will find someone else and I will edit the list
 
#58 ·
What is this Cueto shyt? His NT-career ended in 1985, end of story. Some funny testimonials with Alianza have nothing to do with an international career.

Personally, I'd only count A-internationals and not even honorary caps that came like a decade after the actual international career ended.
 
#60 ·
Larsson and Svenssen added.

Magico Gonzáles made his NT debut on 1 December 1976, in a FIFA World Cup qualification match against Costa Rica. Source: english wiki His last game should be on Concacaf Gold Cup 1998. He played in 0-2 loss vs Jamaica on February 9, 1998

Acc.italian wiki, 1998 tournament was his last big tournament, but I have no idea if he played his last game on that tournament. Let´s assume that he did.

1.12.1976 - 9.2.1998
21 years, 2 months, 9 days
7741 days
 
#64 · (Edited)
cant find anywhere reliable information on Roger Milla´s international debut

english wiki says 1973-1994, but at the same time they say he debuted in 1978
spanish wiki mentioning 1976 as a year of his Cameroon debut

It´s kinda weird he made his debut in 1978 when he was elected African Footballer of the Year by France Football already in 1976, isnt it ?

Another articles mentioning 1978 as a year of his debut, unfortunately none mentions which game/date. 1, 2

In any case, I will remove Milla from 21 years cathegory.
 
#65 ·
Some of these guys played well past their sell-by date.

Nice thread, nonetheless. Interesting to get a different perspective on players.

Would be nice to get a fuller picture though, e.g. whether players were important for their NTs, if appearances became far less at the tail end of their careers, etc.

Zanetti, for example, wasn't called up for 2 World Cups. Of course, as we know, that's the AFA being retarded. But that picture isn't really given just by looking at the numbers.

Would be amazing if we could get a quick summary on some of these players mentioned. But this is valuable as it is. Good job, Kaj. :thumbsup:
 
#66 ·
thanks Firdy :thumbsup:

top10 is finished. We can add later more details on international career, tried to add rsssf links or specify dates of 1st and last games. Looks that so far only Cueto´s NT tally was inflated by the last call-up, best indicator is imo number of games played in the last year. Stan Matthews f.e. played 3 games in his last year (1957), Litmanen even 8 in 2010, Ryan Giggs 4 games for GB in 2012 as well,Jennings 6 games in 1986. No idea about Meredith but there is no reason to not believe he was valuable piece of Wales team in 1920 when he played for ManCity till 1924. Same can we assume for Domazos or J.Gonzáles.
 
#68 ·
Meredith played the full 3 games in 1920. Magico had two substitute appearances in 1998. Before that his last caps were in 1993, so I wouldn't count him.

Would be nice to get a fuller picture though, e.g. whether players were important for their NTs, if appearances became far less at the tail end of their careers, etc.

Zanetti, for example, wasn't called up for 2 World Cups. Of course, as we know, that's the AFA being retarded. But that picture isn't really given just by looking at the numbers.
In general it would be nice to read about all the lows of a player's career as well as the highs. As we all know, a player doesn't hold the same level of play throughout his career, so it would be interesting to read about breakthrough years as well as when they passed their peak.
 
#75 · (Edited)
thats why I´m not going to exclude anyone from the list, even If I dont like it to be honest. Statistically speaking, Cueto´s 25 years are equally as valid as Meredith´s, but kinda similar to Gordie Howe´s shift in in Detroit Vipers jersey in 1997 at age of 69 - Gordie wanted to become first player who spent 6 decades on ice. Technically OK, but such a record has no value as his one-shift appearance was just made for setting a new record in a sports run by statistics freaks. I dont see a point in it and wouldnt want to see it as a trend, to give old farts one more farewell run just to change stats. Imagine Litmanen who might still play some local 5th division at that time, getting a game in 2017 only to set a new record - noone will ever take this stats seriously.
 
#76 ·
Włodzimierz Lubański (Poland, 1963–1980) 17 y
Ariel Ortega (Argentina, 1993-2010) 17 y
Angel Romano (Uruguay, 1911-1927) 16 y
Angel Labruna (Argentina, 1942-1958) 16 y
Sebastian Abreu (Uruguay, 1996-2012) 16 y still active (? I am not sure)
Borislav Mikhailov (Bulgaria, 1983-1998) 15 y
Enzo Francescoli (Uruguay, 1982-1997) 15 y
Jacek Bąk (Poland, 1993–2008) 15 y
Benni McCarthy (South Africa, 1997–present) 15 y
 
#83 ·
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