Progression_of_association_football_caps_European_record
This is a progressive list of men's association footballers who have held or co-held the European record for international caps since 1976. The progression up to 1976 is derivable from the world record progression because the world record holder was always European, except when Ángel Romano narrowly overtook Imre Schlosser in 1924–27. After 1976, many sources, including FIFA[1] and the Guinness Book of Records[2] reported subsequent European cap records as world records. Retrospective validation of various Asian players' caps has subsequently shown that they exceeded the contemporary European record; most sweepingly, in 2021 FIFA recognised that Soh Chin Ann won his 109th Malaysia cap in 1976 and his 195th and final cap in 1984, which in February 2022 was the world record.[3]
The only pre-1976 European records not listed in the world record progression are Schlosser's record-breaking 67th cap and Severino Minelli's record-equalling 68th cap.
Notes:
- England lost 3–4 on penalties
- Sweden won 5–4 on penalties
- Though the team was billed as "Swedish League XI", the matches are counted as full internationals
- UEFA's total recognised caps for Reim is one less than the Estonian FA's, which recognises a 2004 match against Belarus U-21.[12][13]
- UEFA's total recognised caps for Astafjevs is one less than the Latvian FA's and one more than FIFA's. The Latvian FA recognises a 2005 King's Cup match against Oman under-23, while FIFA does not recognise the 2010 match against Angola owing to excessive substitutions.[12][14]