Sports
Image Credits: Wikipedia
There is perhaps no better testament to a player's longevity than playing five FIFA World Cups. It's not unsurprising that only three players have achieved this feat. Italy's Gianluigi Buffon was present in five World Cups but didn't register a single appearance in 1998.
Image Credits: Lionel Messi/Instagram
But two more players are likely to join this exhaustive list when the World Cup 2022 start next month in Qatar. Let's take a look at the list of five players with five World Cup appearances.
Image Credits: La Liga
Antonio CarbajalNicknamed El Cinco Copas, Antonio Carbajal was a Mexican goalkeeper who played for the national team who made his first World Cup appearance in 1950 in Brazil, and played the four subsequent editions of this tournament. He conceded 25 goals in 11 matches.
Image Credits: Wikimedia Commons
Lothar MatthausLothar Matthaus has played the most number of World Cup matches for Germany, featuring in every edition of the World Cup from 1982 to 1998. It was under his captaincy Germany won the World Cup in 1990 in Italy.
Image Credits: Wikimedia Commons
Rafael MarquezRafael Marquez is the second Mexican in the list. Having made his international debut in 1997, he missed the next year's FIFA World Cup, but played the next five in a row. He has also won two Champions League titles with Barcelona.
Image Credits: JuventusFC/Twitter
Cristiano Ronaldo Cristiano Ronaldo will soon join this illustrious list, when Portugal began their World Cup campaign next month. He may have fallen out of favour for his club, but is still the centre of attraction for the Portuguese team. He played his first World Cup in 2006, and 2022 might be the last of his career.
Image Credits: Lionel Messi/Instagram
Lionel MessiJust like his rival Ronaldo, Messi will be playing his fifth World Cup in Qatar. He made his international debut in 2005, and a year later, he was inducted into the World Cup squad. This is likely to be the last chance for Messi to lift the coveted trophy.