Cristiano Ronaldo has climbed to the summit of European football history, becoming the player with the most appearances in UEFA club competitions.
The Al-Nassr captain leads the all-time rankings with 197 appearances, according to official UEFA records. His remarkable tally spans spells with Sporting CP, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus, where he featured prominently in the UEFA Champions League and other European competitions.
Ronaldo sits ahead of former Spanish goalkeeper Pepe Reina, who recorded 192 appearances across clubs including Barcelona, Villarreal CF, Liverpool FC, Napoli, AC Milan and Lazio.
Legendary goalkeeper Iker Casillas ranks third with 188 appearances, achieved during his time at Real Madrid and FC Porto.
Italian icon Paolo Maldini (174 appearances) and Croatian midfielder Luka Modrić (173) complete the top five, highlighting the longevity and consistency required to dominate Europe’s elite competitions.
Also tied on 173 appearances is Spanish midfielder Xavi Hernández, while Portugal’s João Moutinho follows with 170 outings.
Goalkeeping great Gianluigi Buffon and prolific striker Robert Lewandowski both registered 167 appearances. They are joined on that mark by global superstar Lionel Messi and Germany’s Thomas Müller.
Close behind are Manuel Neuer (166), Toni Kroos (164), Clarence Seedorf (163), and Armenian playmaker Henrikh Mkhitaryan (162).
Former Real Madrid captain Raúl González amassed 161 appearances, while Bosnia and Herzegovina forward Edin Džeko and Inter legend Javier Zanetti both reached 160.
Welsh winger Ryan Giggs recorded 159 appearances, and French striker Karim Benzema sits on 157.
Ronaldo’s record underscores his extraordinary durability and influence at the highest level of European club football — a benchmark that may stand for years to come.
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