The World Cup comes around just once every four years and making it to even one of those tournaments would represent a huge career highlight for most players.
For footballers representing smaller nations, there might be only one shot at playing in a World Cup, or perhaps not even that.
But for the bigger nations, many players have endured to feature in the tournament across multiple editions.
Here, a look at some footballers in the men’s game who have played in three or more World Cups…
32. Wesley Sneijder
Wesley Sneijder had an incredible year in 2010, winning the treble with Inter and helping the Netherlands to the World Cup final.
Sneijder started all seven games for the Dutch in South Africa and scored five goals. In total, he made 17 World Cup appearances across three tournaments between 2006 and 2014 and netted five times.
31. Dejan Stankovic
Dejan Stankovic is the only player in football history to appear at the World Cup with three different teams.
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The former Red Star Belgrade, Lazio and Inter midfielder represented Yugoslavia in the 1998 World Cup, then Serbia & Montenegro in 2006 and finally Serbia in 2010. He made three appearances for each.
30. Dino Zoff
Dino Zoff’s Italy career began in Italy’s European Championship win in 1968, but the legendary goalkeeper did not play in a World Cup until 1974.
An unused member of the 1970 squad, Zoff was a starter for Italy in 1974, 1978 and 1982, when he lifted the World Cup as captain at the age of 40. In total, he made 17 appearances in the tournament for the Azzurri.
29. Bobby Moore
Bobby Moore captained England to World Cup glory in 1966 and appeared in three tournaments overall, making 14 appearances.
Moore played in 1962, 1966 and 1970 and was skipper for the latter two World Cup campaigns. He retired from international football in 1973 after England’s failure to qualify for the 1974 World Cup.
28. Iker Casillas
Iker Casillas captained Spain through their glorious era between 2008 and 2012, lifting two European Championship trophies in that time and a first-ever World Cup for La Roja in 2010.
Casillas’ save from Arjen Robben in the World Cup final was key to Spain’s success in their extra-time win over the Netherlands. The legendary Real Madrid goalkeeper made 17 World Cup appearances in total between 2002 and 2014, 11 as captain.
27. Jairzinho
Jairzinho scored nine World Cup goals for Brazil in 18 tournament appearances – and seven of those came as the South Americans clinched the title in 1970.
The winger won the Silver Boot behind West Germany’s Gerd Muller after scoring in every single game for Brazil at Mexico 1970 – including the third in a 4-1 win over Italy in the final. He also played in the 1966 and 1974 World Cups.
26. Fabio Cannavaro
Fabio Cannavaro captained Italy to their World Cup win in 2006 and the defender went on to win the Ballon d’Or later in the year.
Cannavaro played in four World Cups overall for the Azzurri, making 18 appearances in the tournament between 1998 and 2010. In total, he won 136 caps for Italy.
25. Pierre Littbarski
Pierre Littbarski played in three World Cups for West Germany – in 1982, 1986 and 1990 – and won the tournament at the third time of asking.
The winger started in the 1982 final loss to Italy, was on the bench four years later as West Germany lost to Argentina and played the 90 minutes as Die Mannschaft edged out the South Americans four years later. Littbarski made 18 World Cup appearances in total, scoring three goals.
24. Mario Kempes
Mario Kempes won the Golden Boot as Argentina clinched the World Cup on home soil in 1978, scoring six goals en route to the trophy – including two in a 3-1 victory over the Netherlands in the final.
Kempes also played in 1974 and 1982, and although his only goals in 18 appearances in the tournament overall came in 1978, he will forever be remembered as the hero in Argentina’s maiden World Cup win.
23. David Beckham
David Beckham played in 13 World Cup matches for England and the former Manchester United and Real Madrid midfielder was captain for 10 of those games.
Sent off for kicking out at Diego Simeone in 1998 as England lost to Argentina on penalties, Beckham’s free-kick against Greece sealed qualification for the 2002 World Cup and he was there again in 2006 as the Three Lions reached the quarter-finals again. He scored one goal in each tournament.
22. Luis Suarez
Luis Suarez played in 16 World Cup matches for Uruguay across four tournaments between 2010 and 2022, scoring seven goals.
The former Barcelona and Liverpool forward controversially helped Uruguay to the semi-finals in 2010 as his handball in extra time denied Ghana a certain goal and the South Americans went on to win on penalties. And there was more controversy four years later as he bit Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini and picked up a four-month ban.
21. Garrincha
Garrincha played in three World Cups for Brazil and won two, impressing in the 1958 win and then taking a leading role in the absence of the injured Pelé for much of the tournament four years later.
The winger’s powers were fading by 1966 and his streak of unbeaten games at international level was ended in his 50th cap as Brazil lost to Hungary. He never played for his country again, ending his World Cup career with 12 appearances and five goals.
20. Hugo Lloris
Hugo Lloris made 20 World Cup appearances for France across four tournaments, appearing in two finals and lifting the trophy as captain in 2018.
The former Tottenham goalkeeper was skipper for 17 of his 20 World Cup games and announced his international retirement after France’s loss on penalties to Argentina in the final of Qatar 2022.
19. Luka Modric
Luka Modric made his World Cup debut in 2010 and racked up 19 appearances in the tournament in the next three editions, scoring two goals.
Modric helped Croatia to the final in Russia 2018 and won the Golden Ball for the tournament’s best player, despite defeat to France in Moscow. Four years later, he was part of the Croatian side which reached the last four in Qatar.
18. Andres Iniesta
Andres Iniesta played in four World Cups for Spain but will forever be remembered for one moment above all: his extra-time winner in the 2010 final against the Netherlands.
A key part of the Spain sides which won back-to-back European Championships in 2008 and 2012, Iniesta had a knack of scoring important goals for club and country. He made 14 World Cup appearances between 2006 and 2018, scoring twice.
17. Enzo Scifo
Born in Belgium to Sicilian parents, Enzo Scifo was nicknamed “little Pelé” as a youngster and like the great Brazilian, he went on to play in four World Cups.
A gited number 10, Scifo made 17 World Cup appearances across those four tournaments – in 1986, 1990, 1994 and 1998 – and was a key player in the Belgium team which reached the semi-finals in the first of those. He scored three World Cup goals.
16. Roberto Baggio
Roberto Baggio is arguably Italy’s greatest-ever footballer and the brilliant former Fiorentina and Juventus forward should have won more than his 56 caps.
But Baggio still played in three World Cups for the Azzurri. Unfortunate to be remembered for his missed penalty in the 1994 final after dragging Italy through the tournament and then playing against Brazil with an injury, he also scored a wonder goal against Czechoslovakia in 1990 and netted twice – including a penalty against Chile – in 1998. In total, he made 16 World Cup appearances, scoring seven goals.
15. Franz Beckenbauer
Franz Beckenbauer played in three World Cups for West Germany and won the trophy, as captain, at the third time of asking.
One of the greatest players in football history, Beckenbauer was part of the German side which lost out to England at Wembley in the 1966 World Cup final. Four years later, he and his team-mates lost a thrilling semi-final to Italy, but in 1974 Der Kaiser led West Germany to the title at home. He made 18 World Cup appearances in total.
14. Thierry Henry
Thierry Henry played in four World Cups for France – in 1998, 2002, 2006 and 2010 – and made 17 appearances in the tournament overall.
His first three international goals all came in the 1998 World Cup and France went on to win the trophy that year. The former Arsenal and Barcelona forward scored three more in 2006, including a winner against Brazil, as France made the final. His controversial handball in a World Cup play-off in 2009 helped Les Bleus beat the Republic of Ireland, but he retired from international football after the team’s disastrous campaign in South Africa.
13. Miroslav Klose
Miroslav Klose enjoyed a wonderful international career with Germany, retiring as the nation’s all-time top scorer and a World Cup winner.
A Golden Boot winner with his five goals in 2006, Klose played in four World Cups overall – also in 2002, 2010 and 2014 – and helped Germany win the trophy in the last of those. In total, he made 24 appearances in the tournament and scored a record 16 goals.
12. Gianluigi Buffon
Gianluigi Buffon went to five World Cups with Italy, played in four and was absolutely key as the Azzurri won the trophy in 2006.
Buffon conceded only two goals in seven games – one a penalty and the other an own goal – as Italy won the title in Germany. An unused squad member in 1998, the legendary goalkeeper went on to make 14 World Cup appearances in 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014.
11. Xavi
Xavi was the heartbeat of the Spain side which won the World Cup in 2010 and back-to-back European Championships in 2008 and 2012.
The Barcelona legend also had his fair share of disappointments with La Roja, though. In total, the midfielder made 15 World Cup appearances across four tournaments in 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014.
10. Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Zidane played in three World Cups for France – including two finals – and led Les Bleus to victory over Brazil in 1998 with two goals in their 3-0 win.
Zidane was injured in 2002 and played only one game as France crashed out in the group stages. He rolled back the years in 2006 as Les Bleus reached another final, but his last-ever game ended in controversy as he headbutted Italy’s Marco Materazzi and was sent off. France went on to lose on penalties. Zidane played 12 World Cup matches overall, scoring five goals.
9. Ronaldo
Ronaldo is considered by many to be the greatest number 9 in the history of football and the brilliant Brazilian will forever be associated with the World Cup.
Left out of the line-up for the 1998 final against France after suffering convulsions before the game, he was eventually restored to the XI but was unsurprisingly off-colour as Brazil lost 3-0 to the hosts. Four years later, he made a triumphant return, scoring eight goals en route to the trophy. Also a winner without playing for Brazil in 1994, Ronaldo made 19 World Cup appearances in total, netting 15 goals.
8. Rafael Márquez
Rafael Márquez is one of Mexico’s greatest-ever players and the former Barcelona defender featured for El Tri in five World Cups.
Márquez played 19 games for Mexico in the tournament – in 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018. He never made it beyond the last 16, but is the only player ever to captain a country in five World Cups.
7. Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo helped Portugal to the semi-finals in his first World Cup in 2006 and went on to play in the next four tournaments as well.
In 2022, the former Real Madrid and Manchester United icon became the only player to score in five different editions of the World Cup, taking his appearances in the tournament to 22 and goal tally to eight. And he has not ruled out playing in 2026.
6. Diego Maradona
Diego Maradona captained Argentina to World Cup glory in 1986 and led the Albiceleste to the final again four years later. Left out as a teenager in 1978, he went on to play in four World Cups, making 21 appearances and scoring eight goals.
One of the all-time greats, Maradona will forever be remembered for his “Hand of God” goal against England and also his second, which is considered by many as the greatest in the tournament’s history. The legendary number 10 also featured in 1994, but his World Cup was cut short after he failed a drugs test. He never played for Argentina again.
5. Cafu
Cafu played in four World Cups for Brazil, featured in three finals, won two of them and was captain for one: victory in the 2002 tournament in Japan and Korea.
One of the greatest attacking full-backs of all time, Cafu made 20 World Cup appearances overall in more than 140 caps for Brazil. He also won the Copa America twice.
4. Paolo Maldini
One of the game’s greatest defenders, Paolo Maldini played in four World Cups for Italy and made 23 appearances in the tournament – in 1990, 1994, 1998 and 2002.
Maldini was part of the Italy side which lost on penalties to Brazil in the 1994 final. He retired from international football after the 2002 tournament, which was a shame because he was still playing at a high level when the Azzurri won the World Cup in Germany four years later.
3. Lothar Matthaus
Lothar Matthaus played in five World Cups and the midfielder was West Germany’s captain in their triumph at Italia 90.
Part of the squad which reached the final in 1982, Matthaus was a starter as West Germany missed out to Argentina in the 1986 showpiece, but went on to lift the trophy four years later. He also played for Germany in 1994 and 1998, making 25 appearances overall and scoring five goals.
2. Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi played in five World Cups for Argentina – 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022 – and the Barcelona legend saved the best until last.
Messi had announced that the 2022 tournament in Qatar would be his last and led Argentina to the trophy – their third and his first – with a series of match-winning displays. Leo played 26 World Cup games in all, scoring 13 goals.
1. Pelé
Pelé played in four World Cups for Brazil and won three, missing out only in 1966 as the South Americans exited the tournament in the group stages.
Champion in 1958, 1962 and 1970, the legendary forward was injured for much of the second campaign and was kicked out of the 1966 World Cup by some cynical opponents. Overall, he played 14 World Cup games and scored 12 goals.
