The word cap in soccer is used to count the number of appearances a player has made with their National Team.
Each soccer player earns a cap for every match they play for their National Team. If a player plays 60 times for their national team, they will have 60 caps to their name.
For more than 100 years, soccer has been divided into two worlds. Footballers have the opportunity to play for a professional club and also for their National Team.
However, there are clear differences in the conditions you need to play for a club or to play for a National Team.
The rules regarding player eligibility for National Teams have changed throughout history.
For many players, playing for their country is their biggest dream and a token of gratitude to their nation. Because of this, they strive to compete at the highest level in every game in order to receive that dream call-up.
However, if you should still have any questions about what exactly a cap is and how this soccer system works, keep reading and we’ll explain everything you need to know about caps in soccer, the call-up process for a National Team, and we’ll even tell you about some players who have been fortunate enough to play for two different countries.
What does a cap mean in soccer?
As we explained at the beginning of the article, a cap in football is awarded when a player plays for their National Team.
The number of caps represents the number of times a player has worn their country’s jersey and fought for their country’s colors on the pitch.
In some cases, certain players have been able to earn caps for two different national teams, both because of FIFA regulations and also because they have dual nationality.
In most cases, National Teams choose their captain based on the number of caps they have won, although this isn’t always the case. This is why, in many cases, the country’s captain is often the oldest or most experienced player.
Why Is it Called a “Cap”
The origin of the term “cap” is a curious one and comes from times gone by in England. In the past, in the United Kingdom, the players who played for their country were awarded an actual cap.
Today, the tradition continues, and many young athletes seek to follow in the footsteps of these players by honing their skills in a UK soccer camp, where they can train and develop their talents while aspiring to earn their own “caps” through national and international representation.
These caps were given to both rugby and football (soccer) players. Players collected these caps and they were very valuable to them as they were the only proof that they had taken part in those matches.
Representing your National Team has always been considered an honor and the cap awarded after the matches was a true accolade, in a similar way to the service stars awarded to military personnel who accomplished their missions.
Photo: Forest School digital archive, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
The History of the “Cap”
The tradition of giving a cap as a gift after an international match was established in England in 1886.
This tradition was adopted from cricket, one of the country’s national sports, which still maintains this ancient practice today.
However, this tradition is no longer adhered to. Having said this, though, in the UK they still make commemorative caps to celebrate an important milestone in a player’s career, such as their 50th cap or 100th cap.
One of the last players to be awarded a special cap was Wayne Rooney. Rooney received a specially designed cap for his 100th England appearance.
How does a soccer player earn a cap in football?
The only way to win a cap in soccer is to play for your National Team, there is no other way.
On top of that, to be considered for your National Team is quite difficult. You have to be selected and called up by your coach as one of the 23 to 30 best players in your nation.
Undoubtedly, to reach this milestone takes a lot of hard work and dedication and means developing a player’s talent to the maximum.
If a player has dual nationality, then they can be called up by the national teams of both countries.
However, in situations like this, they will have to decide which National Team they want to represent, as it isn’t possible to play for both at the same time (we will clarify this situation later on).
How do international caps work?
The National Teams have a structured schedule with both friendly and competitive matches.
The coach of each National Team can currently call up 23 players from whom they can build their team and play the number of matches required.
The team chosen by the coach may vary between fixtures, which makes it even more difficult to keep your place in the squad.
Normally, coaches select players who are performing at a high level with their professional clubs. Therefore, it’s very difficult for a player to be called up to their National Team if they aren’t playing well or hardly playing for their club.
According to FIFA regulations, all professional clubs must release their players in time for all the matches on the FIFA calendar, whether official friendlies or competitive matches.
Clubs that restrict their players in any way or make it difficult for them to play for their National Teams may be sanctioned by FIFA.
For instance, the Spain national football team, like many other top teams, adheres to this structure, regularly calling up its best players to compete on the international stage.
Do players on the bench earn a cap?
No, players who are on the bench and don’t play can’t earn a cap. The only way to win a cap is to actually participate in the match. It makes no difference if they play for the whole 90 minutes or enter as a substitute.
A player needs to play for at least one minute to receive a cap.
In fact, in some official tournaments, the rules say that a player who hasn’t played at least a minute in any match can’t be considered a tournament champion. Even though they received their medal, players who spent the whole tournament on the bench are not considered champions from a statistical point of view.
Is it possible to earn caps for two different national teams?
There is a select group of players who have represented two National Teams in their career.
There have been several rule changes since the middle of the last century to make the criteria for changing National Teams more rigorous. However, the last few months have seen some very noteworthy cases, such as the Spanish-Moroccan player Brahim Diaz.
Currently, any player can switch National Teams as long as they haven’t played more than three competitive matches for the national team before their 21st birthday.
However, this criterion doesn’t include matches in the FIFA World Cup or other continental competitions such as the Euros, the Gold Cup, or the Copa America.
In addition, a player may switch National Teams if they have only played friendly matches (no matter how many) with their current National Team.
If the player played in one, two or three competitive matches before the age of 21, he will have to wait about three years to be called up by a new National Team.
If the player has only played friendly matches, there is no waiting period. The player can be called up immediately by the other National Team and even play in the next match.
Previously, from 2004 to 2020, it was only possible to switch National Teams if the player had only played friendly matches.
Before 2004 the criteria was much more open. Any player could switch National Teams simply by having citizenship in that country.
Players with the most caps
Men’s Soccer
- Cristiano Ronaldo – Portugal – 212 caps
- Bader Al-Mutawa – Kuwait – 196 caps
- Soh Chin Ann – Malaysia – 195 caps
- Lionel Messi – Argentina – 187 caps
- Ahmed Hassan – Egypt – 184 caps
- Hassan Al Haydos – Qatar – 183 caps
- Ahmed Mubarak – Oman – 184 caps
- Sergio Ramos – Spain – 180 caps
- Andrés Guardado – Mexico – 179 caps
- Luka Modric – Croatia – 178 caps
Women’s Soccer
- Kristine Lilly – United States – 354 caps
- Christine Sinclair – Canada – 331 caps
- Carli Lloyd – United States – 316 caps
- Christie Pearce – United States – 311 caps
- Mia Hamm – United States – 276 caps
- Julie Foudy – United States – 274 caps
- Abby Wambach – United States – 255 caps
- Joy Fawcett – United States – 241 caps.
- Caroline Seger – Sweden – 240 caps
- Sherida Spitse – Netherlands – 235 caps
Players who played for two national teams
More than 100 players have represented two national teams during their careers.
Here is a list of the most notable cases in recent years:
- Diego Costa – Brazil – Spain
- Brahim Díaz – Spain – Morocco
- Julián Araujo – USA – Mexico
- Iñaki Williams – Spain – Ghana
- Houssem Aouar – France – Algeria
- Rubio Rubín — USA – Guatemala
- Vurnon Anita – Netherlands – Curaçao
- Rogelio Funes Mori – Argentina – Mexico
The journey towards your first cap
In order to be called up to your National Team you must perform at your best on a daily basis, there is no other way.
Every footballer who aspires to become an elite player must put into practice all the training and instructions given by their high performance soccer academy and coaches.
The focus should be on improving and acquiring new skills in training and practicing soccer drills, with intensive sessions to improve your physique and underline a player’s responsibilities on the pitch.
In basic terms, these are the steps to get called up to your National Team and get your first cap.
- Become a professional soccer player
- Sign for a top-level club to get noticed on the international stage
- Make a good impact in your team, and give good performances on the pitch
- Receive the call from your National Team Coach
- Attend the call-up with your other teammates
- Fight for a starting position in the team or be one of the first substitutes
Conclusion
In football, a cap is given to a player who plays a match for his National Team.
Here’s a summary of everything you need to know about caps in soccer:
- The term “cap” is used because previously in England actual caps were awarded to everyone who played in matches for their national team, a tradition that was phased out over the years.
- The only way to earn a cap is to actually play in the match. Players who stay on the bench don’t receive a cap.
- It’s possible to play for two National Teams in your career if you meet the current eligibility criteria.
- National team captains are usually the players with the most caps in the squad.
All these goals can be achieved with perseverance and hard work. This may seem like an impossible dream, but if a player works methodically to develop their talent, then they’re capable of reaching the top.
You should continually strive and work in order to reach your goal of becoming a professional soccer player, and then set your sights on the dream of one day representing your country.