The 2023-24 season proved to be a demanding one for soccer players across Europe and South America. After giving their all for their clubs over nine months, many of them reported for the 2024 European Championship (EURO 2024) and 2024 Copa America, playing demanding matches with very little rest.
Today, we will honor those who did right by their club and country by turning up whenever called upon. Continue reading to meet the five players who played the most matches in the 2023-24 season.
Data: Transfermarkt
#5 Jan Oblak (Atletico Madrid / Slovenia) – 67 Games
Kicking off the list is Atletico Madrid and Slovenia goalkeeper Jan Oblak. The 31-year-old played 67 games for club and country across the 2023-24 season, more than any other goalkeeper in the world.
Oblak featured in 54 games for Atletico Madrid across the 2023-24 season, keeping 16 clean sheets and conceding 68 goals. He played the remaining 13 games for Slovenia between September 2023 and July 2024. He represented Slovenia in four games in EURO 2024, keeping two clean sheets before Portugal knocked his team out of the competition on penalties.
#4 Julian Alvarez (Manchester City / Argentina) – 68 Games
2 Goals For Argentina In Copa America 2024
Manchester City and Argentina attacker Julian Alvarez is the fourth name in the rankings, having played 68 games since the start of the 2023-24 season. Alvarez scored 19 goals and claimed 13 assists in 54 games for the Cityzens, helping them to FIFA Club World Cup, the UEFA Super Cup, and the Premier League title.
He also played 14 games for Argentina between September 2023 and July 2024, with five of those matches coming in Copa America 2024. Alvarez chipped in with two goals in those five games, helping La Albiceleste to the trophy.
#3 Phil Foden (Manchester City / England) – 69 Games
Manchester City star Phil Foden enjoyed his career-best season in club soccer in 2023-24. He was at the heart of almost every single bit of encouraging play from Pep Guardiola’s side. When he was not busy scoring or assisting, he dropped to midfield, lending City’s midfield a helping hand. Foden scored 19 times and provided eight assists in 35 Premier League games for City, helping them to the title and deservedly winning the Player of the Year award.
Foden, who had already played 62 games — 53 games for Man City and 9 games for England — in 2023-24, however, failed to deliver in EURO 2024. He looked fatigued, uncomfortable, and out of ideas. As a result, he could not chip in with even a single goal or assist right up to England’s defeat to Spain in the final.
#2 Dusan Tadic (Fenerbahce / Serbia) – 69 Games
The oldest player on this list, 35-year-old Serbian left-winger Dusan Tadic played 69 games for club and country across the 2023-24 season.
He played 56 games for his club Fenerbahce, recording 16 goals and 16 assists and emerging as one of the team’s standout performers. Unfortunately, he could not carry his club form over to EURO 2024, failing to score or assist as Serbia suffered a group-stage exit in Germany. Following his team’s tragic exit, Tadic announced his retirement from international soccer.
#1 Baris Alper Yilmaz (Galatasaray / Turkiye) – 70 Games
Baris Alper Yilmaz showed unmatched longevity across the 2023-24 season, playing 70 matches for Galatasaray and Turkiye.
Yilmaz, 24, featured in 55 matches for Galatasaray in all competitions in 2023-24. The jet-heeled winger, who is comfortable playing on either flank, scored seven times and provided 12 assists. Thanks to his performances, Yilmaz was named in Turkiye’s squad for EURO 2024. He started all five games leading up to Turkiye’s quarter-final exit to the Netherlands, but could not score or assist in the competition.
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