Even without a major men's international tournament, players in Europe's top five leagues had a hefty workload in 2023. Over 50 of them logged more than 4,500 minutes for club and country (equivalent to 50 full 90-minute matches), with a select group surpassing 5,000 minutes. Yet, one player stands out for remarkable consistency and endurance: Manchester United and Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes.
The 29-year-old is the sole player among Europe's elite to have participated in over 70 games in 2023, amassing more than 6,000 minutes of play in that calendar year. As captain of Manchester United, he featured in the Premier League, the Champions League, and the Europa League, alongside appearances in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup for his club. On the international stage, he was an ever-present force for Portugal during their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign.
This analysis focuses on the top 10 players in Europe's leading five leagues – the Premier League, LaLiga, Bundesliga, Serie A, and Ligue 1 – who accumulated the most minutes in 2023 for both club (excluding friendlies) and country (senior international games, including friendlies).
Among these top 10 players, six belong to the Premier League, with no fewer than three from Manchester City – a fact not surprising, given their team's treble win last season. Their Champions League victory necessitated participation in not only the UEFA Super Cup but also the FIFA Club World Cup this term.
Interestingly, none of the top 10 players are from Ligue 1 or the Bundesliga, with Harry Kane of Bayern Munich being the sole representative in the top 25. This is primarily due to his extensive game time with Tottenham Hotspur and England throughout the year.
While the ranking by total minutes played predominantly features defensive players, a few playing further forward have proven themselves equally indispensable and resilient. Nevertheless, the tireless Fernandes towers above them all.
1. Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United and Portugal): 6,288 minutes, 72 games
Topping the chart by nearly nine complete matches of playing time is Fernandes, a crucial asset for both his club and country, having accumulated well over 6,000 minutes of first-team action in 2023.
During the latter half of the 2022-23 season, the attacking midfielder appeared in four competitions for Manchester United: the Premier League, the Europa League, the FA Cup, and the Carabao Cup. He participated in two domestic cup finals, securing victory in the Carabao Cup and finishing as a runner-up in the FA Cup. He played in every game from the third round through to the Wembley final, including a prolonged 101-minute appearance against Brighton & Hove Albion in the semis.
Fernandes also featured in all 22 of United's Premier League matches, completing the full 90 minutes in 20 of them. He also played in five of his team's six Europa League knockout games, missing only the quarterfinal second leg against Sevilla due to suspension.
Overall, the Portuguese midfielder has appeared in 25 out of United's 27 fixtures in the ongoing 2023-24 campaign, completing full 90-minute performances in 23 of them. He has participated in 18 out of 19 Premier League games (missing one due to suspension) and all six of United's Champions League group games, scoring five goals and providing five assists across all competitions.
On the international stage, Fernandes has been equally involved, starting all 10 games in Portugal's Euro 2024 qualifying campaign. He added a further 844 minutes of competitive game time while contributing six goals and seven assists as the Selecao won all 10 of their matches in Group J.
2. Antonio Rüdiger (Real Madrid and Germany): 5,514 minutes, 67 games
The pivotal figure in Real Madrid's defensive setup, Rudiger was absent for only four league matches this year. Additionally, he missed just one LaLiga game this season due to suspension, during the 5-1 victory against Valencia on November 11.
At 30 years old, Rudiger played a significant role in Madrid's journey to the Champions League semifinals last season. This term, he featured in all six group games, playing the full 90 minutes in all except the last match against Union Berlin. In that game, he entered the field for the final 19 minutes, contributing to solidifying their performance and maintaining a flawless record. Furthermore, he participated in both of Madrid's fixtures in the Spanish Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup at the beginning of the year. He was also present in all five matches during his club's successful Copa del Rey campaign.
Due to Germany securing automatic qualification for Euro 2024 as hosts, Rudiger engaged in nine international friendlies throughout 2023, playing the entirety of each match.
3. Manuel Akanji (Manchester City and Switzerland): 5,434 minutes, 68 games
Upon his arrival in City just before the 2022-23 season, Akanji swiftly became a cornerstone of Guardiola's defence, boasting an impressive 72 appearances for the Premier League champions across various tournaments.
This versatile centre-back has already participated in seven different competitions for City in 2023: the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup, Community Shield, FIFA Club World Cup, and UEFA Super Cup, triumphing in five of these.
Internationally, in 2023, Akanji secured an additional 10 caps for Switzerland, featuring the full 90 minutes in nine of his country's Euro 2024 qualifying fixtures.
4. Nemanja Gudelj (Sevilla and Serbia): 5,420 minutes, 64 games
In 2023, Gudelj participated in five club competitions with Sevilla, featuring in LaLiga, the Copa del Rey, Europa League, Champions League, and the UEFA Super Cup. He also played in eight out of his country's ten Euro 2024 qualifiers.
Typically used as a centre-back or defensive midfielder, the Serbian stalwart appeared in all but five of Sevilla's 41 LaLiga matches for the year, completing the full 90 minutes in 30 of them.
5. Rodri (Manchester City and Spain): 5,414 minutes, 66 games
In the hub of Pep Guardiola's midfield, Rodri has already appeared 24 times across five competitions for City in the initial half of this season. He completed the full 90 minutes in 18 of those matches, scoring five goals and providing six assists in all competitions.
Rodri also experienced a tremendously successful end to the 2022-23 season, featuring for 90 minutes in six of City's seven games in the Champions League knockout phase. He scored against Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals and netted the solitary goal in the final against Inter Milan, securing his club's inaugural European Cup title and completing the treble.
The 27-year-old featured nine times for Spain throughout 2023, contributing to their triumph in the 2022-23 UEFA Nations League in June. He scored in the penalty shootout during the final after 120 goalless minutes against Croatia.
Here are the next five who played the most minutes in 2023
6. Declan Rice (Arsenal and England): 5,347 minutes, 64 games
7. Federico Valverde (Real Madrid and Uruguay): 5,317 minutes, 67 games
8. Francesco Acerbi (Inter Milan and Italy): 5,236 minutes, 62 games
9. Bryan Cristante (AS Roma and Italy): 5,230 minutes, 65 games
10. Éderson (Manchester City and Brazil): 5,175 minutes, 58 games
