Serie A is one of Europe’s top leagues, with many notable players and clubs competing. The tournament has a global audience of millions of people and a plethora of top-tier talent on offer.
Italy has a long history of producing outstanding goalkeepers and defenders. This league produced some of the most tenacious defenders in the sport’s history, who went on to have illustrious careers. With the most appearances in Serie A, a few of them etched their names in the Serie A record books.
In terms of Italian club football, Serie A is the country’s top-flight competition. For a player, getting to the first division and then playing in there for years are two distinct things. Some of the most iconic figures in Italian football are at the top of the list of most appearances in Serie A history.
The league has a long and illustrious history dating back several decades. A professional player’s longevity and consistency are required to play at the highest level for multiple seasons. Let’s take a look at the top 10 football players with the most appearances in Serie A history.
Top 10 football players with the most appearances in Serie A history
10. Enrico Albertosi: 532
Albertosi was a goalkeeper who, with 532 appearances in Serie A, owns the record for the 10th most appearances in Serie A. The goalkeeper has experience with three clubs in the division, including AC Milan. He won two league titles before retiring as a pro in 1984. Samir Handanovic, who currently plays for Inter Milan, has 531 appearances and is expected to pass some of the players on the list.
9. Silvio Piola; 537
Piola is widely recognized as one of the best strikers in the history of Serie A. In 537 appearances, he scored 274 goals, making him the competition’s all-time leading striker. Piola played in Serie A for four different clubs, including Juventus. He has never won a league title, but he has won the FIFA World Cup with Italy.
8. Roberto Mancini: 542
Before becoming a football manager, Roberto Mancini was a long-serving player. In Serie A, the current coach of the Italian national team made 542 appearances and scored 156 goals. Mancini won two league titles during his career, one with Lazio and the other with Sampdoria, where he spent most of his time.
7. Pietro Vierchowod: 563
Pietro Vierchowod is regarded as one of Italy’s most talented center-backs. The defender made 563 appearances for various clubs including AS Roma, Juventus, and AC Milan. He also won the league two times, once with Roma and once with Sampdoria. During his career, Vierchowod also won the UEFA Champions League and the FIFA World Cup.
6. Dino Zoff: 566
Zoff, who has also played for Napoli and Udinese, is regarded as a Juventus legend. The goalkeeper made 566 appearances in Serie A, the majority of which were with the Old Lady. Zoff has six league titles to his name, all with Juventus, and has also won the FIFA World Cup.
5. Gianluca Pagliuca: 596
Gianluca Pagliuca is another goalkeeper with a lengthy career, having appeared in 596 games in the Serie A. The goalkeeper has appeared for four clubs in the league, including Sampdoria and Inter Milan. Pagliuca retired from football in 2007 after winning the Serie A with Sampdoria. He is now the goalkeeping coach for Bologna’s U19 team.
4. Francesco Totti: 618
These are the players who have played more than 600 games in Serie A as they enter the top four. Francesco Totti is a sporting legend who epitomizes the true definition of loyalty. He appeared in 618 league games for AS Roma, all of which he won. He retired as a professional in 2017, having scored 250 goals, the second-most in Serie A history.
3. Javier Zanetti: 618
Javier Zanetti also appeared in 618 Serie A matches, all for Inter Milan. The full-back is a club icon and one of the top right-backs in the game’s history. With Inter, he won 16 trophies, including five Serie A crowns and one UCL triumph. In 2014, he called it a day as a professional.
2. Paolo Maldini: 648
Paolo Maldini, a legendary defender who made 648 appearances in Serie A, owns the record for the second-most appearances in the league’s history. Throughout his career, the defender was a member of AC Milan. With the Rossoneri, Maldini has won 25 trophies, including five UCL trophies and seven league titles. The 53-year-old is currently serving as AC Milan’s Technical Director.
1. Gianluigi Buffon: 658
In terms of appearances in Serie A, Gianluigi Buffon holds the record with the most. At the age of 43, the great goalkeeper is still playing football for Parma, his boyhood club. He has made 658 appearances in Serie A, which is the most appearances in Serie A history the majority of which have been with Juventus. He also owns the Serie A record for most clean sheets. With Juventus, Buffon won ten Serie A titles, as well as the FIFA World Cup with Italy.
