European Championship all-time appearances: Ronaldo extends record in France defeat

Cameron Smith

• 5 Jul 2024 17:08 CDT
• 4 min read

Cristiano Ronaldo has made the most appearances in European Championship history, with his outing against France taking his tally to 30 games played in the competition.

The Portuguese football legend made his Euros debut back in 2004 and he has featured in every tournament since then. Up until 2024, he had also scored in every edition of the Euros.

Ronaldo made six appearances in 2004, three in 2008, five in 2012, seven in 2016 and four in the delayed 2020 edition (held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic).

He has played in every European Championship match Portugal have featured in since 2004, except their group stage game against Switzerland in 2008, and extended his tally after being selected in his nation’s squad for Euro 2024.

READ MORE: European Championship all-time top scorers - Ronaldo, Griezmann and the greatest goal kings

Ronaldo’s international team-mate Pepe has the second-highest number of European Championship appearances. He has played 23 matches in the competition's history, narrowly ahead of Manuel Neuer (both 21).

Toni Kroos played his last-ever game at Euro 2024, taking his tally to 20 appearances, while Joao Moutinho accumulated 19 during his Portugal career. Leonardo Bonucci and Bastian Schweinsteiger made 18 appearances in the European Championship, while Gianluigi Buffon (17), Giorgio Chiellini (17) and Thomas Muller (17) complete the top 10.

Who is the oldest player in European Championship history?

Pepe became the oldest player to ever play at the Euros when he started for Portugal against France at Euro 2024. At 41 years and 130 days old, the Portuguese defender set a new record.

He subsequently extended that record four days later against Turkey, featuring at 41 years and 117 days old.

Legendary Hungary goalkeeper Gabor Kiraly is the second-oldest player to ever play in the European Championship. Kiraly became famous for wearing tracksuit bottoms instead of shorts and he played for his nation at Euro 2016, aged 40 years and 86 days old.

Pepe's Portugal team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo became the third-oldest player to feature at the European Championship during the aforementioned game versus France.

Lothar Matthaus is the fourth-oldest player in European Championship history (39 years and 92 days), while Morten Olsen completes the top five.

Who is the youngest player in European Championship history?

Lamine Yamal is the youngest player to ever play in the European Championship. The Spain international made his Euros debut in 2024, at the age of 16 years and 338 days old.

He broke Kacper Kozlowski's record, which he set at the delayed previous Euros in 2021, aged 17 years and 236 days.

Just six days earlier, England midfielder Jude Bellingham had set the record, but it did not last long.

Jetro Willems is the fourth-youngest player in European Championship history, while Enzo Scifo completes the top five.