The soccer world witnessed a milestone in 2025 that may stand for decades. During the calendar year, Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets extended their world record for most matches played together, reaching an astonishing 653 appearances combined with FC Barcelona and Inter Miami. Their longevity, consistency and shared success placed them in a category rarely seen in professional sports.
The final figure became official after Busquets decided to retire at the conclusion of the most recent MLS season, receiving formal recognition from the IFFHS (International Federation of Football History and Statistics). The total breaks down into 569 matches together with FC Barcelona and 84 more with Inter Miami. The record underscores the durability and sustained excellence both players maintained across two continents and multiple competitions.
Their on-field partnership officially began on September 13, 2008, when Busquets made his first team debut for Barcelona. That day, he shared the pitch with Messi and fellow defender Gerard Piqué, marking the start of a historic era for the Spanish club.
Busquets previously held the record as part of another iconic duo. Alongside Piqué, he reached 620 matches together, combining their time with Barcelona and 87 appearances representing Spain in international competition. That partnership set the standard before Messi and Busquets ultimately raised it to unprecedented levels.
An exclusive club in soccer history
In the history of professional soccer, only four duos have surpassed the 600-match mark as teammates on the field. According to the IFFHS, Gerd Muller and Sepp Maier are part of the group with 611 matches, and Manuel Neuer and Thomas Muller of Bayern Munich and Germany recently joined that exclusive group.
The German pair reached 611 matches together before Muller departed Bayern Munich. While both players remained active and a reunion elsewhere remained theoretically possible, the benchmark established by Messi and Busquets appeared secure at the top of the all-time list.
It is important to note that the statistic includes only top-level official matches, and a game counts as long as both players appeared on the field, regardless of whether they shared the same minutes simultaneously. That criterion ensures consistency in historical tracking and further highlights the magnitude of Messi and Busquets’ achievement.