Experience can be crucial in a major tournament and Euro 2024 will see some vastly experienced players take to the stage.
Incredibly, there are 30 players selected in squads who have already earned more than 100 caps for their respective nations, while Croatia’s Marcelo Brozoviฤ (96) and Andrej Kramariฤ (93), Netherlands midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum (93) and Poland’s Kamil Grosicki (93) could all become international centurions with successful tournaments this summer.
Ahead of Euro 2024, we’ve listed the five players involved with the most international caps.
5. Pepe – Portugal (137 caps)
Pepe continues to defy time at the heart of the Portugal defence with the centre-back preparing for his fifth European Championship this summer.
The Porto defender made his debut for Portugal way back in 2007 and has since won 137 caps for the national side. He was named in the Team of the Tournament at Euro 2008, Euro 2012, and Euro 2016, earning the man-of-the-match accolade in the latter final as Portugal won their first major tournament. His three appearances in the Team of the Tournament are a joint record, alongside Paolo Maldini, Laurent Blanc and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Pepe scored his first EURO goal 16 years ago today… ????????#EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/gkfFJk6ic2
โ UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) June 7, 2024
The 41-year-old will become the oldest player in European Championship history if he takes to the field this summer, eclipsing Hungary’s Gabor Kiraly who featured against Spain in 2016 aged 40 years and 86 days.
4. Robert Lewandowski – Poland (150 caps)
Euro 2024 could be the final tournament for Robert Lewandowski with Poland. The 35-year-old will captain his nation into the finals, where Poland face the Netherlands, Austria and France in a tough group.
Lewandowski has scored 82 goals in 150 caps for Poland and is the ninth-highest scorer in international football history. Only three active players – Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Romelu Lukaku – have scored more international goals.
The Barcelona forward will miss Poland’s opener against the Netherlands with a thigh injury.
3. Jan Vertonghen – Belgium (154 caps)
Jan Vertonghen is still going strong as one of the surviving members of Belgium’s ‘Golden Generation’ era.
The former Ajax and Spurs centre-back is now back in his homeland with Anderlecht, where he made 36 appearances last season. The 37-year-old is Belgium’s record appearance maker and made his debut for the national team 17 years ago.
2. Luka Modric – Croatia (175 caps)
Euro 2024 looks set to be the final swansong for Luka Modric in Croatia colours. Regarded as his nation’s greatest-ever talent, Modric has been at the forefront of recent success on the international stage.
???????? Rewind to Luka Modriฤ’s stunner ????
????๏ธ #OTD at EURO 2016 #EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/cY0XgVWqdf
โ UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) June 12, 2024
He won the Ballon d’Or in 2018 after helping Croatia to the World Cup final and reached the semi-finals of the same competition in Qatar in 2022. Approaching his 39th birthday, he remains at the top at club level after winning a sixth Champions League title with Real Madrid in 2023-24.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo – Portugal (207 caps)
Cristiano Ronaldo’s record-breaking feats need no introduction. The only man in history to have won 200+ international caps, he will take part in a record-breaking sixth European Championship this summer.
He is the only player to have played and scored in five editions of the European Championship to date, is the tournament’s record scorer (14), and captained Portugal to success in 2016.
Cristiano Ronaldo made his first EURO appearance 20 years ago today ????????????#EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/ur4nApfYOh
โ UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) June 12, 2024
A footballing phenomenon, whose milestones look set to continue growing this summer.
Read –ย The clubs with the most players at Euro 2024 this summer
See more –ย Five must watch games in the Euro 2024 group stage
Subscribe to our social channels:
Facebookย |ย Instagramย |ย Twitterย |ย YouTubeย |ย TikTok