The Premier League is one of the most competitive leagues in the world. Many players have played for multiple league teams and recorded appearances. Some of these players have even made their way into the history books and are considered legends by many fans.
Here are some of the top 10 players with Premier League Most Appearances:
Gareth Barry – 653
Gareth Barry is one of the most decorated players in English football history. He has made 653 appearances over 20 years, playing for Aston Villa, Manchester City, and Everton. He also played for West Bromwich Albion before retiring at last season’s end.
Barry made his senior debut in 1999 when he was just 17 years old. His first club was Aston Villa. He spent ten years before moving to Manchester City in 2009, where he won two Premier League titles, before moving to Everton in 2014, where he won another title with them before moving back to West Bromwich Albion.
Ryan Giggs – 632
Ryan Giggs is the most decorated player in Premier League history, having won 13 trophies. He played in 632 games for Manchester United, setting the record for the most appearances by a single player with one club.
Giggs was born in 1973 and joined Manchester United as a 14-year-old. He made his debut in 1991 and went on to win 13 Premier League titles, 4 FA Cups, 3 League Cups, 2 Champions Leagues, and 1 Intercontinental Cup with the club.
In addition to playing for United, Giggs also represented Wales internationally. He made 64 appearances for his country between 1991 and 2007, scoring 14 goals.
Frank Lampard – 602
The English midfielder Frank Lampard has made 602 appearances in the Premier League. He is one of only six players to have played more than 600 Premier League games.
Lampard started his career at West Ham United before moving to Chelsea in 2001, where he spent 13 years. He became the club’s highest goal scorer, with 211 goals in 649 appearances for the Blues. He also won 11 major trophies with the club, including three league titles and four FA Cups.
In 2014 Lampard joined Manchester City on loan after being signed by newly appointed manager Manuel Pellegrini. He made 16 appearances for the Citizens before joining Major League Soccer side New York City FC on loan for the remainder of that season.
David James – 572
David James is a former English football goalkeeper who played in the Premier League for Liverpool and Aston Villa, among others. He retired in 2014, having made 572 appearances in the Premier League.
James started his career with Portsmouth, making his debut in 1993 and quickly establishing himself as their first-choice keeper. He made over 300 appearances for Portsmouth before moving to Liverpool in 2000. His time at Liverpool was brief—he only made 16 appearances—but he did win three FA Cups with the club.
After two seasons with Aston Villa, James returned to Portsmouth for another two years before retiring from professional football.
Gary Speed – 532
The Welsh midfielder is one of the most decorated players in the history of English football. He won every possible honor at Leeds United, including the league title, FA Cup and League Cup.
Speed was also part of the Wales national team that qualified for their first major tournament since 1958 (Euro 2008), where they reached the semi-finals.
After he retired from playing, Speed took over as manager at Sheffield United before moving on to manage Wales in 2011. He tragically passed away in November 2011 after a cardiac arrest while driving along the M6 motorway between Junctions 5 and 6 near Sandwell, West Midlands.
James Milner – 534
James Milner is one of the best players in the Premier League and has been for years. He has made 534 appearances and is still going strong, which means he is on track to become the player with the most appearances in Premier League history.
During his career, Milner has played for Aston Villa, Newcastle United, Manchester City, and Liverpool. Milner is an important member of Liverpool’s squad and should remain so for many years.
Milner has already surpassed several great players who are still playing in England’s top flight, but he should surpass them soon enough if he remains fit and continues to play at this level.
Emile Heskey – 516
Emile Heskey holds a pretty impressive record in English football. The former Liverpool and Aston Villa striker has racked up 516 appearances in the Premier League, making him the second-most capped player of all time.
Heskey was born in Dudley, West Midlands, England. He began his career with Leicester City in 1992 and debuted against Blackburn Rovers. He made over 200 appearances for the club before moving to Liverpool in 2000, where he played under manager Gerard Houllier.
In 2001, he became an integral part of the team that won the treble—the FA Cup, League Cup, and UEFA Cup—and scored 12 goals that season.
Mark Schwarzer – 514
Mark Schwarzer was a goalkeeper for Chelsea, Fulham, Leicester City, Middlesbrough, and Bradford City. He made 514 appearances in the Premier League between 1993 and 2014.
Schwarzer played over 500 times in the Premier League, making him one of only 20 players to achieve this feat. He made his debut as a 20-year-old in 1993 for Middlesbrough. He played for ten years at Chelsea, winning two Premier League titles and an FA Cup before moving to Fulham in 2008.
In 2012, he signed with Leicester City on an 18-month deal before moving to Championship side Middlesbrough on a free transfer later that year. He retired at the end of last season after playing just one game for Bradford City.
Jamie Carragher – 508
Jamie Carragher is the ninth player with the most appearances in Premier League history. He made 508 appearances over 16 seasons with Liverpool and was a part of their 2005 Champions League-winning side. He was also named as one of the top 10 Premier League players by FourFourTwo magazine in 2007.
Carragher’s debut for Liverpool came against Middlesbrough in 1997, but it wasn’t until 2001 that he became a regular starter for his club. That year, he played every minute of every match as Liverpool finished second in the league and won their first major trophy since 1990.
In 2004, Carragher set a record for most consecutive appearances by an outfield player: 164 matches without missing a single minute between 1999–2004. Ryan Giggs later broke this record in 2017 (173 games).
Phil Neville – 505
Phil Neville is one of the most versatile players ever to grace the Premier League. He played 243 games for Manchester United and moved to Everton, where he played 252 games.
Neville made his debut as a substitute against Middlesbrough in 1995 and was almost immediately promoted to first-team regular.
A versatile player, Neville played at right back, right midfield, and center midfield during his time at Old Trafford. He also won two FA Cups before moving on to Everton in 2005.
The Premier League is one of the most popular sports leagues in the world, and it has been since its inception in 1992. It has become one of the top leagues to play soccer in and watch. The ten players with the most appearances in Premier League history have all played a crucial role in maintaining its popularity and success over the years.
