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Busquets sets another world record

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The midfielder, having played 17 matches, equals Casillas and Ramos as the most-capped Spanish player in World Cup history.

Sergio Busquets is Spain's living history, an infinite footballer who has already the status of a legend. On Tuesday, at Education City Stadium, the midfielder equalled a world record joining Íker Casillas and Sergio Ramos as the Spaniard with the most World Cup matches having played 17 of them.

He has been a starter in the matches of the group phase and the captain also started the round of last 16 match against Morocco. He has now made four appearances at this World Cup to bring his tally to 17 in total. His career began in South Africa 2010 and continued in Brazil 2014 and Russia 2018.

In the World Cup of the star, Busquets played a key role. He played in all seven matches that crowned the national team and was applauded by everyone despite the fact that the national team did not start in the best possible way with that defeat against Switzerland. We already know how the rest of the matches ended, with Busquets in the heavens of Johannesburg with that historic squad.

The 2014 tournament did not go so well and Spain left Brazil at the end of the group stage. There, the Catalan played two matches. In Russia, the national team reached the round of last 16 with Busquets playing in all four matches, but the farewell came sooner than expected with a penalty shoot-out defeat to the host national team.

Lothar Matthäus, who reached 25 in five tournaments, lead the ranking of players with the most matches played in a World Cup. His compatriot Miroslav Klose, with 24, is in second place and Paolo Maldini and Lionel Messi complete the podium with 23, and they can continue adding to his background, as Argentina will play in the quarterfinals.

In Qatar, Sergio Busquets managed, on his debut against Costa Rica, to equal Casillas, Ramos, Andoni Zubizarreta, Xavi Hernández, Andrés Iniesta and Fernando Hierro with four World Cups. They make a very select group of memorable players. As memorable as Busquets, an international with a world record.

SPANISH NATIONAL TEAM PLAYERS WITH THE MOST MATCHES AT WORLD CUP FINALS

RankingPlayerMatches

1ºSergio Busquets17

1ºSergio Ramos17

1ºIker Casillas17

4ºAndoni Zubizarreta16

5ºXavi Hernández15

6ºAndrés Iniesta14

6ºCarles Puyol 14

6ºFernando Torres14

9ºXabi Alonso13

10ºFernando Hierro12