Following the latest iteration of football's greatest spectacle in the summer of 2026, Flashscore provides you with the list of players who have played the most games in the tournament's history.
9=. Wladyslaw Zmuda (21 appearances, Poland)
Tournaments: 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986
The first of a six-way tie at 21 World Cup appearances, Wladyslaw Zmuda is not a player that springs to mind when you talk about Poland’s golden generation, but he has played more World Cup matches than anyone else from his country.
The defender, who was only 20 in 1974, played in four consecutive FIFA World Cups (1974–1986), winning the Best Young Player Award in 1974 and two World Cup bronze medals, and played one more game in the Polish shirt at World Cups than compatriot Grzegorz Lato.
9=. Uwe Seeler (21 appearances, Germany)
Tournaments: 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970
As captain of West Germany, Seeler was celebrated for his incredible heading ability, acrobatic volleys, and relentless work ethic, famously dubbed "Unser Uwe".
He remained an integral part of the national team for 16 years, but despite scoring 43 goals in 72 matches for West Germany, the World Cup trophy continued to elude him (the closest he came was reaching the final in 1966).
He narrowly beat Pelé to become the first player to score in four different tournaments.
9=. Ivan Perisic (21 appearances, Croatia)
Tournaments: 2014, 2018, 2022, 2026
A big-game player, Ivan Perisic has been central to Croatia’s modern era of World Cup success. Known for his tireless work rate and two-footedness, he famously scored the equaliser in the 2018 semi-final against England before finding the net against France in the final.
His longevity extended through to the 2026 tournament, where he cemented his status as Croatia's all-time top scorer in World Cup history by surpassing Davor Suker.
9=. Thibaut Courtois (21 appearances, Belgium)
Tournaments: 2014, 2018, 2022, 2026
A towering presence between the posts, Thibaut Courtois has long been the defensive anchor of Belgium’s "Golden Generation." He won the Golden Glove award in 2018, making 27 saves to help the Red Devils secure a historic third-place finish.
Pivotal to his team's passage to the quarter-finals in 2026, Courtois became only the third goalkeeper in football history to hit the milestone of 20 World Cup appearances.
9=. Nicolas Otamendi (21 appearances, Argentina)
Tournaments: 2010, 2018, 2022, 2026
An uncompromising figure, Nicolas Otamendi has provided resilience at the heart of the Argentine defence for well over a decade. After making his tournament debut under Diego Maradona in 2010, he went on to play every minute of Argentina's triumphant 2022 campaign in Qatar.
The veteran's defensive grit and leadership remained key as Argentina navigated their way to the 2026 final, pushing him into the elite bracket of players with over 20 appearances on the world stage.
9=. Diego Maradona (21 appearances, Argentina)
Tournaments: 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994
Maradona is widely regarded as one of the greatest football players in history, known for his extraordinary dribbling, vision, passing, and low centre of gravity.
At 17, Maradona had already given early signs of his potential and enjoyed his debut in the Argentinian national team, but coach César Luis Menotti still failed to pick him for the 1978 World Cup in his home country.
Had Menotti picked him for the final squad, Maradona would likely have had two World Cup triumphs to his name. He was a losing finalist in 1990 and left the tournament in 1994 in disgrace following a failed drug test.
8. Kylian Mbappe (22 appearances, France)
Tournaments: 2018, 2022, 2026
Kylian Mbappe has already established a legacy that rivals the greatest players of all time. After bursting onto the global scene to win the 2018 World Cup as a teenager, becoming the first since Pele to score in the final, he followed it with a hat-trick in the 2022 showpiece.
Another prolific campaign in 2026 saw him break the record for the most knockout-stage goals and move into second place on the tournament’s all-time scoring charts, leaving him well-placed to challenge more records in the future.
5=. Manuel Neuer (23 appearances, Germany)
Tournaments: 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, 2026
Manuel Neuer fundamentally redefined the role of the modern goalkeeper. His pioneering sweeper-keeper style was the foundation of Germany's 2014 World Cup triumph in Brazil, where he won the Golden Glove.
His inclusion across five separate tournaments makes him the most-capped German goalkeeper in World Cup history, a testament to his long-standing dominance at the highest level.
5=. Luka Modric (23 appearances, Croatia)
Tournaments: 2006, 2014, 2018, 2022, 2026
Luka Modric’s international career has been a masterclass in longevity. The playmaker first appeared at a World Cup in 2006, before orchestrating Croatia’s remarkable run to the 2018 final, where he was awarded the Golden Ball, before clinching the Ballon d'Or.
Defying his advancing years, Modric returned to represent his national team through yet another tournament in 2026, cementing his reputation as one of the finest midfielders of his generation.
5=. Paolo Maldini (23 appearances, Italy)
Tournaments: 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002
Laying claim to the label of the greatest defender of all time, Paolo Maldini blended incredible elegance, tactical intelligence, and elite longevity.
The son of Cesare Maldini made his first appearance in the World Cup on home soil in 1990. Maldini earned 126 caps for Italy, captaining the team for eight years, and played in the 1994 final against Brazil.
He was also part of the Italian squad that performed below average in 1998 and 2002, bowing out in the last 16 final.
Maldini called time on his international career after the latter but carried on for AC Milan for another seven years.
4. Miroslav Klose (24 appearances, Germany)
Tournaments: 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014
Miroslav Klose only broke the 20-goal barrier three times during his club career, but in the German national team, the Poland-born striker truly excelled as a "fox in the box" who specialised in being at the right place at the right time to become the all-time leading FIFA World Cup scorer with 16 goals.
Klose achieved this total over four tournaments between 2002 and 2014, surpassing Ronaldo's previous record of 15. Klose's record-breaking performance includes five goals in 2002, five in 2006, four in 2010, and two in 2014.
3. Lothar Matthaus (25 appearances, Germany)
Tournaments: 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998
Lothar Matthaus was at the peak of his career when he captained West Germany to victory in the 1990 World Cup and was named the inaugural FIFA World Player of the Year.
West Germany made their way to the final in three consecutive World Cup finals from 1982 to 1990, but Matthaus was only given the chance to display his talent in the latter two.
Matthaus, who earned 150 caps for Germany and was named German Footballer of the Year in 1999 at age 38, returned to the World Cup twice more in 1994 and 1998.
2. Cristiano Ronaldo (27 appearances, Portugal)
Tournaments: 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, 2026
As one of the greatest football players of all time, known for his incredible goal-scoring prowess, physical athleticism, and elite work ethic, Ronaldo has competed in six FIFA World Cups (2006–2026), becoming the first male player to score in six different editions.
Two decades ago, he was already on the verge of superstardom when he made his World Cup debut.
At the age of 41, he wrapped up a record-breaking sixth tournament appearance at the 2026 World Cup, where he added three more goals to his tally to become Portugal's all-time leading scorer in the competition with 11 goals.
1. Lionel Messi (34 appearances, Argentina)
Tournaments: 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, 2026
At 18, Lionel Messi became Argentina’s youngest player to appear and score in a World Cup, though he was benched for their defeat in the quarter-final in 2006.
Since then, he has proceeded to hold records for most appearances (34), most matches as captain (26), and is the only player to score in his teens, 20s, and 30s.
Messi made his record-extending 34 appearances in the 2026 World Cup final against Spain.
But, at the age of 39, La Albiceleste's defeat to Spain is likely to mark his last appearance at the tournament.