5) Xavi Hernandez (FC Barcelona, 1998 – present day): 722 matches
Puyol’s closest friend in the game started out at Camp Nou just one year before he did, and the brilliant Spain international is still going strong for both club and country, even at the tender age of 34, although there has bee a mountain of speculation of late suggesting that this could be also the midfielder’s final-ever campaign for both Barca and La Roja.