A fortnight ago, Ryan Giggs (http://www.theinfostride.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=95299/index.html) reached a milestone achieved by few others in the game. The Welsh wide-man clocked up his 900th professional appearance for Manchester United in their 2-1 win over Norwich City, aptly scoring an injury-time winner.
The feat left him in illustrious company, joined by FIFA World Cup™-winners and international legends alike. FIFA.com glances back across Giggs’ phenomenal career and at four other legends of the game who have surpassed the same landmark.
United’s gold standard
Having made his debut a few months before the final Division One season concluded, Giggs is the only player to have ever competed, and scored, in every Premier League campaign to date. In doing so he has also become English football’s most decorated player. During his 20 years with United, he has accrued 12 Premier League titles, four FA and League Cups, two UEFA Champions League medals and a FIFA Club World Cup, amongst others, and a stack of personal honours.
Since making his debut against Everton on 2 March 1991 he has been seen as the consummate professional. His consistency at the highest level has been reflected by United’s dominance during the last two decades. The Red Devils have finished outside the Premier League top two just three times since his first full season, and have made it to four Champions League finals, notably winning the treble in 1999.
On reaching his landmark tally with a goal, manager Sir Alex Ferguson provided a glowing appraisal: “For a player to play for one club for 900 games is exceptional. He deserved that goal for his service to the club. He's had an amazing career and he's an amazing man.”
Sao Paulo's saviour
Only one player still yet to hang up his boots has a more impressive appearance record than Ryan Giggs (http://www.theinfostride.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=95299/index.html) – Sao Paulo’s goalkeeper of almost 20 years, Rogerio Ceni (http://www.theinfostride.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=178788/index.html). While his name may be best known for being the highest goal-scoring goalkeeper in history, with over 100 to his name, he has also appeared more than 1000 times for the Tricolor.
Ceni has seen many momentous events during his lengthy career, but his finest are built around the Copa Libertadores, which he has won twice. For the first victory he was just a substitute, but in 2005 it was his championship. Scoring five times en-route to the final, he was named player of the tournament, before repeating the feat by being awarded the Golden Ball and lifting the title at the FIFA Club World Cup.
fifa.com