5 most loyal players in 21st century
It would be reductive to say that loyalty is not so common anymore in the world of football. While it is true that there has been a severe decline in the number of 'one-club players', players still give it their all for the badge.
Old-school values are still revered but perhaps not adhered to like they used to be. So players strutting their stuff for a single club throughout their careers has become a bit of a rarity. But there are still plenty of players who settle down at a club and decide to stick around for a very long time.
Players like Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Xavi, Steven Gerrard are all examples of one-club players. Without further ado, let's take a look at five players who have spent the most time at one club.
#5 Marcelo (Real Madrid) - 14 years, seven months
Brazilian left-back Marcelo joined Real Madrid from Fluminese in 2007 and has made the Spanish capital his home. The 33-year-old has established himself as one of the best full-backs of his generation.
He has enjoyed an illustrious career at Real Madrid and has won five La Liga titles, four UEFA Champions League titles, two Copa Del Rey titles and four Supercopa de Espanas. Marcelo is a treat to watch on the football pitch.
He is one of the most technically proficient attacking full-backs and his ball control is second to none. Marcelo has made 539 appearances for Real Madrid, scoring 41 goals and 101 assists across all competitions.
Marcelo is no longer seen as indispensable at Real Madrid and has been playing second-fiddle to Ferland Mendy in recent seasons.
#4 Lionel Messi (Barcelona) - 16 years
Lionel Messi has dominated headlines over the past 24 hours following Barcelona's announcement of his departure. The Argentine never looked back after joining his dream club. He made his first team debut in November 2003 but broke onto the first team scene in the 2004-05 season.
He has gone on to become one of the greatest footballers of all time. Messi has won a record six Ballons d'Or with Barcelona. He has enjoyed an exceptional career winning 10 La Liga titles, four Champions League titles, seven Copa Del Reys and seven Supercopa de Espanas.
He has won a ridiculous number of individual accolades as well and is arguably the greatest player to have played for Barcelona. The Catalans will be without Messi next season and he will be sorely missed after 16 years of exceptional service.