When former Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas started for Porto in Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League tie against Besiktas, he equalled Ryan Giggs’ record of playing in 19 consecutive Champions League campaigns.
The 36-year-old first debuted in the competition with Los Blancos on September 15, 1999 against Olympiakos at the tender age of 18, and has since gone on to play in 169 games.
Casillas also holds the record for most Champions League fixtures played in, ahead of Xavi Hernandez on 157 and Giggs on 151.
According to official statistics from UEFA, Casillas has played in 176 games in European competition, which is more than Paolo Maldini on 174 and Xavi on 173, second and third in the rankings.