Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have dominated the sport of soccer for more than two decades and have continued to influence millions even in the twilight of their respective careers. Longevity has been one of the most impressive traits outlining the magic of the two. Beginning in their teenage years and now well into the latter half of their 30s, Messi and Ronaldo have displayed incredible consistency and grit to steer miles away from the rest.
The Portuguese captain has a staggering 1267 official appearances to his name while his Argentinian counterpart has taken part in 1122 matches so far. Remarkably, these extraordinary figures are still not enough for the pair to hold the prestige of having the three longest careers in the history of the game. 39-year-old Ronaldo takes the fourth spot and will be looking to overtake the top three by the end of his career. Here is a look at the three soccer stars with the longest careers to date.
Peter Shilton
Peter Shilton began his senior professional career way back in 1966 with Leicester City and retired 21 years later in 1997. Operating as a goalkeeper allowed Shilton to be a regular starter for all the clubs he played for in his illustrious career. Having spent all of his career in England, playing in different divisions, Peter Shilton holds the record for being the player with the most competitive appearances in soccer with 1411.
The 74-year-old was also a regular feature for the England National Team. He is the most-capped player ever for the Three Lions with 125 appearances. Shilton took part in three FIFA World Cups (1982, 1986, and 1990). His peers regarded him as one of the greatest ever in his position, mainly due to his key contribution to Nottingham Forest’s consecutive European Cups in 1979 and 1980.
Fabio Maciel
The 43-year-old made his professional debut in 1997 and is still going strong for Fluminense in the Brazilian Serie A. He has appeared in over 1330 competitive outings so far and looks to add to the figure to close the gap on Peter Shilton. Fabio’s feat is made even more exceptional considering the fact that Brazilians tend to hang up their boots relatively early in their careers.
Despite being one of the most respected and renowned names in Brazilian soccer, Fabio was never able to make the cut for the Brazil National Team. Having been called to the national team squad several times, Fabio failed to obtain even a solitary appearance for the Selecao. The goalkeeper has let his frustration regarding the matter public on multiple occasions. Fabio won the coveted Copa Libertadores in 2023 with Fluminense.
Paul Bastock
The third name on the list is another goalkeeper from England. Paul Bastock has spent the majority of his still active career playing in the lower tiers of English soccer. Nevertheless, that has not stopped him from becoming a record holder in the United Kingdom and also a beloved hero in the hearts of the supporters. Bastock currently is tied with fifth-division club, Boston United, where he also serves the duty of the assistant manager.
Over 500 of his 1286 all-time matches came with Boston United during his first spell with the club from 1992 to 2004. Surrounding that tenure, Paul Bastock has played for over 20 clubs in his extraordinary career. The 54-year-old won the FA Youth Cup with Coventry City during the 1986-87 campaign along with the National League with Boston in 2002.