Cap (sport)

{{Short description|Term for a player's appearance in a game at international level}} {{For|the physical headgear|Cap}} {{Use British English|date=February 2024}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024}} thumb|Various international honours caps

In sport, a '''cap''' is a player's appearance in a game at international level. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of rugby football and association football.

The practice was first approved on 10 May 1886 for association football after a proposal made by N. Lane Jackson, founder of the Corinthians:

{{blockquote|That all players taking part for England in future international matches be presented with a white silk cap with red rose embroidered on the front. These to be termed ''International Caps''.<ref>{{cite web|title=What does the term 'Cap' mean in sport?|date=4 February 2014|url=https://albionsports.wordpress.com/2014/02/04/what-does-the-term-cap-mean-in-sport/|publisher=albionsports.wordpress.com|access-date=13 January 2018|archive-date=30 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230130132643/https://albionsports.wordpress.com/2014/02/04/what-does-the-term-cap-mean-in-sport/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.englandfootballonline.com/TeamBack/Caps.html|title=England's Caps|website=www.englandfootballonline.com|access-date=30 June 2023}}</ref>}}

The act of awarding a cap is now international and is applied to other sports. Although in some sports physical caps may not now always be given (whether at all or for each appearance) the term ''cap'' for an international or other appearance has been retained as an indicator of the number of occasions on which a sportsperson has represented a team in a particular sport. Thus, a "cap" is awarded for each game played and so a player who has played ''x'' games for the team is said to have been ''capped x'' times or have won ''x'' caps.

The practice of awarding a physical cap varies from sport to sport. It may be awarded before a player's debut or, particularly for national teams, a commemorative cap may be awarded after a player reaches the 100th cap.<ref>{{cite news|title=All Blacks century-makers: What it takes to crack 100|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11525788|work=The New Zealand Herald|date=9 October 2015|access-date=13 December 2016|archive-date=5 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170305131809/http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11525788|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Steven Gerrard memorabilia to be exhibited at Anfield|url=http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11669/9850586/gerrards-anfield-exhibition|publisher=Sky Sports|date=15 May 2015|access-date=13 December 2016|archive-date=5 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170305061903/http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11669/9850586/gerrards-anfield-exhibition|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Association football== [[File:Harry Kane England cap at the London Museum.jpg|thumb|upright|England cap awarded to Harry Kane for his appearance against Germany in June 2021 at the 2020 UEFA Euro, his 58th overall.]]

In the early days of football, the concept of each team wearing a set of matching shirts had not been universally adopted, so each side would distinguish itself from the other by wearing a specific sort of cap. An early illustration of the first international football match between Scotland and England in 1872 shows the Scottish players wearing cowls, and the English wearing a variety of school caps. When Aston Villa Football Club played their first match in 1874,<ref name=SM2>''Aston Villa's first milestone'', John Hughes, Sunday Mercury & Sunday News 30 March 1924</ref> they played in royal blue caps and stockings, scarlet and royal blue hooped shirts and white shorts.<ref name=SM2/> The club rules stated "No member can take place in a match unless in the above uniform".<ref name=SM1>''A Football Jubilee'', John Hughes, Sunday Mercury & Sunday News 9 March 1924</ref>

Some men's association football teams still award physical caps. Players are awarded one cap for every match they play – unless they play in a World Cup or European Championship finals tournament, then they are given a single cap for the competition, with the names of all their opponents stitched into the fabric of the cap itself. For example, when David Beckham made his one-hundredth appearance for England, because a number of his appearances had been at World Cup and European Championship final tournaments for which he could only receive one cap, he received only his 85th physical cap.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.reuters.com/soccer/2008/03/26/dont-tell-anyone-but-this-is-only-beckhams-85th-cap/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080330185655/http://blogs.reuters.com/soccer/2008/03/26/dont-tell-anyone-but-this-is-only-beckhams-85th-cap/|url-status=dead|archive-date=30 March 2008|title=Don't tell anyone, but this is only Beckham's 85th cap|work=Reuters |access-date=20 September 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Jiuyou |url=https://jiuyougames.com/}}</ref> In Scotland, for many years the practice was to present caps only for appearances in the British Home Championship, meaning that several players never received one (including those in their 1958 FIFA World Cup squad); this anomaly was rectified retrospectively in the 2000s after pressure from players' families.<ref name=shine>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2005/nov/22/newsstory.sport7 |title=Tale of injustice that prompted a son to shine |work=The Guardian |author=Paul Weaver |date=21 November 2005 |access-date=12 April 2020 |archive-date=12 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200412220805/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2005/nov/22/newsstory.sport7 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=__SwdvPyYN8C&dq=eddie+turnbull+cap&pg=PT8 Eddie Turnbull: Having a Ball] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230324102606/https://books.google.com/books?id=__SwdvPyYN8C&dq=eddie+turnbull+cap&pg=PT8 |date=24 March 2023 }}, Eddie Turnbull, Martin Hannan; Random House, 2012, {{ISBN|9781780574684}}</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=DiEjAwAAQBAJ&dq=erich+schaedler+cap&pg=PT140 Shades: The Short Life and Tragic Death of Erich Schaedler] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230324102604/https://books.google.com/books?id=DiEjAwAAQBAJ&dq=erich+schaedler+cap&pg=PT140 |date=24 March 2023 }}, Colin Leslie; Black & White Publishing, 2013, {{ISBN|9781845027308}}</ref>

FIFA recognises certain international games as ones where a player can be awarded a cap – these games are regarded as International "A" games. These are matches in which both nations field their first Representative Team.<ref>{{cite web |title=Regulations Governing International Matches |url=https://digitalhub.fifa.com/m/428d57940518eef/original/p0ppt4a5mrbb0zmvbl1g-pdf.pdf |publisher=FIFA |access-date=28 August 2020 |archive-date=12 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211112202231/https://digitalhub.fifa.com/m/428d57940518eef/original/p0ppt4a5mrbb0zmvbl1g-pdf.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Records=== {{See also|List of men's footballers with 100 or more international caps|Progression of association football caps record|List of women's footballers with 100 or more international caps}}

The world record holder for the highest number of international caps as of 5 November 2010 is retired American player Kristine Lilly, who has 354 caps. Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal holds the most caps among men only; he surpassed Bader Al-Mutawa with his 197th cap on 23 March 2023, before extending his record to 198 caps on 26 March 2023. The first footballer to win 100 international caps was Billy Wright of England's Wolverhampton Wanderers. Wright went on to appear 105 times for England, 90 of them he obtained whilst he was a captain.

'''Bold''' denotes players currently active in international football.

{{col-begin}} {{col-break}} ====Men==== {{updated|20 December 2025}}<ref>{{cite web |title=FIFA Century Club |url=https://digitalhub.fifa.com/m/5a117604549223c/original/tsatiy6dhwatj9k5pi1i-pdf.pdf |publisher=FIFA |access-date=9 June 2020 |archive-date=12 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211112202029/https://digitalhub.fifa.com/m/5a117604549223c/original/tsatiy6dhwatj9k5pi1i-pdf.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>{{failed verification|date=December 2021}}  {| class="sortable wikitable" |+ Most caps in men's association football |- !width="10px"|Rank !width="10px"|Caps !width="160px"|Name !width="160px"|Country !width="80px"|{{Abbr|Career|Years Active}} |- | 1 || '''226''' || '''Cristiano Ronaldo''' || {{fb|POR}} || 2003–present |- | 2 || '''202''' || Bader Al-Mutawa || {{fb|KUW}} || 2003–2022 |- | 3 || '''196''' || '''Lionel Messi''' || {{fb|ARG}} || 2005–present |- | 4 || '''195''' || Soh Chin Ann || {{fb|MAS}} || 1969–1984 |- | 5 || '''194''' || '''Luka Modrić''' || {{fb|CRO}} || 2006–present |- | rowspan=2|6 || rowspan=2|'''184''' || Ahmed Hassan || {{fb|EGY}} || 1995–2012 |- | '''Hassan Al-Haydos''' || {{fb|QAT}} || 2008–present |- | 8 || '''183''' || Ahmed Mubarak || {{fb|OMA}} || 2003–2019 |- | rowspan=2|9 || rowspan=2|'''180''' || Sergio Ramos<ref>{{cite news |last1=Cortegana |first1=Mario |title=Spain defender Sergio Ramos retires from international football |work=The New York Times |date=23 February 2023 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/4245470/2023/02/23/sergio-ramos-spain-international-retirement/ |access-date=24 February 2023 |archive-date=23 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230223175236/https://theathletic.com/4245470/2023/02/23/sergio-ramos-spain-international-retirement/ |url-status=live }}</ref> || {{fb|ESP}} || 2005–2023 |- | Andrés Guardado || {{fb|MEX}} || 2005–2024 |} {{col-break}}

====Women==== {{updated|20 December 2025}}  {| class="sortable wikitable" |+ Most caps in women's association football |- !width="10px"|Rank !width="10px"|Caps !width="160px"|Name !width="160px"|Country !width="80px"|{{Abbr|Career|Years Active}} |- | 1 || '''354''' || Kristine Lilly || {{fbw|United States}} || 1987–2010 |- | 2 || '''331''' || Christine Sinclair|| {{fbw|Canada}} || 2000–2023 |- | 3 || '''316''' || Carli Lloyd || {{fbw|United States}} || 2005–2021 |- | 4 || '''311''' || Christie Pearce || {{fbw|United States}} || 1997–2015 |- | 5 || '''276''' || Mia Hamm || {{fbw|United States}} || 1987–2004 |- | 6 || '''274''' || Julie Foudy || {{fbw|United States}} || 1988–2004 |- | 7 || '''255''' || Abby Wambach || {{fbw|United States}} || 2001–2015 |- | 8 || '''248''' || Sherida Spitse || {{fbw|Netherlands}} || 2006–2025 |- | 9 || '''241''' || Joy Fawcett || {{fbw|United States}} || 1987–2004 |- | 10 || '''240''' || Caroline Seger || {{fbw|Sweden}} || 2005–2023 |} {{col-end}}

==Cricket== {{See also|Cricket cap|List of Test cricket records#Individual records (other)}}

As in association football, cricket still awards a physical cap. Caps are awarded both at international and domestic level, however the criterion for winning a cap differs between international and domestic cricket.

In international cricket, a player is awarded a cap for every appearance made. It is common for a player to be presented with their cap in a ceremony on the first morning of their maiden Test match, although a physical cap may not be presented for every occasion on which a player represents his country. International caps are numbered according to the number of players who have represented the country before. For example, cap number 50 is awarded to the fiftieth player to represent the country.{{ref|a}}

In some domestic cricket competitions, caps are also awarded. However, they are not awarded automatically for every appearance made, but instead at the discretion of the administrators of the club for whom the recipient plays, and are a one-off recognition that the recipient is now a regular, established player for the club. The most prevalent example of this system is in English county cricket, in which many First Class counties award a "county cap" to players.

As of April 2021, 70 players have won 100 or more caps in Test cricket.{{cn|date=June 2024}}

===Records===

Players still active at Test level are in '''bold type'''.

{{updated|9 April 2022}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Individual Records |url=https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/records/283683.html |publisher=ESPN Cricinfo |work=stats.espncricinfo.com |date=8 June 2020 |access-date=8 June 2020 |archive-date=15 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171015171051/http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/records/283683.html |url-status=live }}</ref>  {| class="sortable wikitable" |+ Most caps in men's test cricket |- !width="10px"|Rank !width="10px"|Caps !width="160px"|Name !width="160px"|Country !width="80px"|{{Abbr|Career|Years Active}} |- | 1 || '''200''' || Sachin Tendulkar || {{cricon|IND}} India || 1989–2013 |- | 2 ||'''188''' || James Anderson || {{cricon|ENG}} England || 2003–2024 |- | rowspan="2"|3 || rowspan="2"|'''168''' || Ricky Ponting || {{cricon|AUS}} Australia || 1995–2012 |- | Steve Waugh || {{cricon|AUS}} Australia || 1985–2004 |- | 5 || '''166''' || Jacques Kallis || {{cricon|RSA}} South Africa ICC World XI || 1995–2013 |- | rowspan="2"|6 || rowspan="2"|'''164''' || Shivnarine Chanderpaul || {{cricon|WIN}} West Indies || 1994–2015 |- | Rahul Dravid || {{cricon|IND}} India ICC World XI || 1996–2012 |- | 8 || '''163''' || '''Joe Root''' || {{cricon|ENG}} England || 2012-present |- | 9 ||'''161'''||Alastair Cook|| {{cricon|ENG}} England || 2006-2018 |- | 10 || '''160''' || Stuart Broad || {{cricon|ENG}} England || 2007–2023 |} :Notes {{small|{{note|a}} For South Africa, current cap numbers start from their readmission to Test cricket.}}

{{updated|9 April 2022}}<ref>{{cite web |title=One-Day International Records |url=https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/records/223375.html |website=ESPN Cricinfo |access-date=4 August 2020 |archive-date=7 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200907232927/https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/records/223375.html |url-status=live }}</ref>  {| class="sortable wikitable" |+ Most caps in men's one-day international cricket |- !width="10px"|Rank !width="10px"|Caps !width="160px"|Name !width="160px"|Country !width="80px"|{{Abbr|Career|Years Active}} |- | 1 || '''463''' || Sachin Tendulkar || {{cricon|IND}} India || 1989–2012 |- | 2 || '''448''' || Mahela Jayawardene || {{cricon|SRI}} Sri Lanka ACC Asia XI || 1998–2015 |- | 3 || '''445''' || Sanath Jayasuriya || {{cricon|SRI}} Sri Lanka ACC Asia XI || 1989–2011 |- | 4 || '''404''' || Kumar Sangakkara || {{cricon|SRI}} Sri Lanka ACC Asia XI ICC World XI || 2000–2015 |- | 5 || '''398''' || Shahid Afridi || {{cricon|PAK}} Pakistan ACC Asia XI ICC World XI || 1996–2015 |- | 6 || '''378''' || Inzamam-ul-Haq || {{cricon|PAK}} Pakistan ACC Asia XI || 1991–2007 |- | 7 || '''375''' || Ricky Ponting || {{cricon|AUS}} Australia ICC World XI || 1995–2012 |- | 8 || '''356''' || Wasim Akram || {{cricon|PAK}} Pakistan || 1984–2003 |- | rowspan=2|9 || rowspan=2|'''350''' || MS Dhoni || {{cricon|IND}} India ACC Asia XI || 2004–2019 |- | Muttiah Muralitharan || {{cricon|SRI}} Sri Lanka ACC Asia XI ICC World XI|| 1993–2011 |} {{col-end}}

==Rugby union== {{See also|List of rugby union Test caps leaders}}

In rugby union, 92 players have reached 100 international caps as of 27 October 2023. Players from England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland are eligible for selection to the British & Irish Lions touring squad. Lions matches are classed as full international tests, and caps are awarded. The Pacific Islanders team, composed of players from Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Niue and Cook Islands have a similar arrangement, although no players involved have so far reached 100 caps (Fijian Nicky Little is closest with 71 caps).

Players still active at Test level are in '''bold type'''. {{updated|21 July 2025}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Player Records – Total Matches Played |url=http://stats.espnscrum.com/statsguru/rugby/stats/index.html?class=1;filter=advanced;orderby=matches;template=results;type=player |website=ESPN Scum |access-date=8 June 2020 |archive-date=20 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130520111619/http://stats.espnscrum.com/statsguru/rugby/stats/index.html?class=1;filter=advanced;orderby=matches;template=results;type=player |url-status=live }}</ref>  {| class="sortable wikitable" |+ Most caps in men's rugby union |- !width="10px"|Rank !width="10px"|Caps !width="160px"|Name !width="160px"|Country !width="80px"|{{Abbr|Career|Years Active}} |- | 1 || '''170''' || Alun Wyn Jones || {{ru|WAL}} {{flag|British & Irish Lions}} || 2006–2023 |- | 2 || '''153''' || Sam Whitelock || {{ru|NZL}} || 2010–2023 |- | 3 || '''151''' || James Slipper || {{ru|AUS}} || 2010–2025 |- | 4 || '''148''' || Richie McCaw || {{ru|NZL}} || 2001-2015 |- | 5 || '''144''' || '''Beauden Barrett''' || {{ru|NZL}} || 2012-present |- | 6 || '''142''' || Sergio Parisse || {{ru|ITA}} || 2002-2019 |- | rowspan="2"|7 || rowspan="2"|'''141'''||'''Eben Etzebeth''' ||{{ru|RSA}} || 2012-present |- | Brian O'Driscoll || {{ru|IRE}} {{flag|British & Irish Lions}} || 1999-2014 |- | 9 || '''139''' || George Gregan || {{ru|AUS}} || 1994-2007 |- | 10 || '''137''' || Cian Healy || {{ru|IRE}} || 2002–2018 |- |}

==Rugby league== The International Rugby League honours players that have made 50 international appearances in their career with a special golden cap.<ref>{{cite web |title=RLIF to award 'golden caps' |url=https://www.totalrl.com/rlif-to-award-golden-caps-to-players-with-over-50-international-appearances-tonight/ |website=TotalRL.com |date=7 November 2018 |publisher=Total Rugby League |access-date=11 June 2020 |archive-date=11 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200611085238/https://www.totalrl.com/rlif-to-award-golden-caps-to-players-with-over-50-international-appearances-tonight/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The record for most caps is held by former Australian Kangaroos player and captain Darren Lockyer with 59 matches.

Players still active at Test level are in '''bold type'''. {{updated|8 June 2020}}  {| class="sortable wikitable" |+ Most caps in men's rugby league |- !width="10px"|Rank !width="10px"|Caps !width="160px"|Name !width="160px"|Country !width="80px"|{{Abbr|Career|Years Active}} |- | 1 || '''59''' || Darren Lockyer || {{flagicon|AUS}} Australia || 1998–2011 |- | 2 || '''56''' || Cameron Smith || {{flagicon|AUS}} Australia || 2006–2017 |- | 3 || '''55''' || Ruben Wiki || {{flagicon|NZ}} New Zealand || 1994–2006 |- | 4 || '''54''' || Jim Sullivan || {{flagicon|Wales|1807}} Wales {{flagicon|GB}} Great Britain {{flagicon|ENG}} England || 1921–1934 |- | rowspan="2"|5 || rowspan="2"|'''53''' || James Graham || {{flagicon|GB}} Great Britain {{flagicon|ENG}} England || 2006–2019 |- | Adrian Morley || {{flagicon|GB}} Great Britain {{flagicon|ENG}} England || 1996–2012 |- | rowspan="2"|7 || rowspan="2"|'''51''' || | Adam Blair || {{flagicon|NZ}} New Zealand || 2006–2019 |- | Petero Civoniceva || {{flagicon|AUS}} Australia {{flagicon|FIJ}} Fiji || 2001–2014 |- | 9 || '''50''' || Mick Sullivan || {{flagicon|GB}} Great Britain {{flagicon|ENG}} England || 1954–1962 |- | 10 || '''47''' || Ryan Hall || {{flagicon|GB}} Great Britain {{flagicon|ENG}} England || 2009–2022 |- |}

==Netball== {{#section:List of netball players|netball}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category|Sports honours caps}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070612232253/http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/index.html Men's Records and Facts]—FIFA * [https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/century.html Players with 100+ Caps (men)]—RSSSF * [https://web.archive.org/web/20141129081946/http://www.scotlandforvisitors.com/nmspic1.php Picture of International Football Cap]—National Museum of Scotland * [https://web.archive.org/web/20141129030020/http://internationalcaps.webs.com/ Gallery of International Caps and Honours Caps]

Category:Association football records and statistics Category:Association football terminology Category:Caps Category:Sports terminology Category:Rugby league equipment Category:Rugby union equipment Category:Rugby league terminology Category:Rugby union terminology