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Serie A may be one of the most tactical European leagues, but there's no denying its stature in world football. Many legends have graced the Italian top flight over the years, both local and international, leaving an indelible mark on the competition.
Some managed to stay longer than others, redifining their legacy with continued presence and on-field success. That holds true for many of the current crop of players too, who have demonstrated their longevity in the competition.
On that note, here's at the five active players with the most Serie A appearances:
Note: All stats are as per Transfermarkt.
#5 Andrea Consigli - 412
One of the only two goalkeepers on this list, Andrea Consigli surpassed 400 appearances in Serie A towards the end of last season. In the process, he became just the 14th shot-stopper in league history to accomplish the feat.
Starting out with a lowly Sambenedettese in Serie C in 2006, Consigli worked his way up Italian football's ranks with eye-catching displays. He finally gained recognition at Atalanta, whom he joined in 2008.
With 153 top-flight appearances under his belt, the Italian custodian then joined an exciting Sassuolo side in 2014. He has helped them stay afloat in Serie A since then.
#4 Giorgio Chiellini - 416
He might be a Serie A legend right now, but Giorgio Chiellini had humble beginnings to his professional career. He played in the lower divisions with Livorno before Juventus signed him up in 2004.
Chiellini immediately went on loan to Fiorentina for a taste of Serie A. Following an impressive loan spell, he returned to Turin a year later, and hasn't looked back ever since.
The Italian has been a mainstay at the heart of the Bianconeri backline. He has laid down a marker with his consistency and uncanny leadership skills, while lifting the Scudetto nine times.
#3 Goran Pandev - 483
North Macedonia's greatest=ever export, Goran Pandev, may have retired from international football. But he is very much active for his club Genoa, having made ten league appearances this season.
Joining in 2015 following a brief spell with Turkish side Galatasaray, the Griffins are his sixth Italian side and also the most he has ever played with. Pandev has made 164 Serie A appearances for Genoa.
That is five more than what he managed with Lazio in the previous decade. He also had spells with Ancona, Napoli and Inter Milan, where Goran Pandev famously lifted the continental treble in 2010.
#2 Fabio Quagliarella - 509
Fabio Quagliarella is one of the game's famous late-bloomers. He has been around the block longer than most of the current crop of players. But he only started getting recognition much later on in his career.
A veteran of almost 700 games, the striker has played for nine different Italian teams since bursting onto the scene in 1999. That includes six in Serie A - Torino, Ascoli, Udinese, Napoli, Juventus and Sampdoria.
Almost half of his Serie A appearances have come with La Samp across two different spells. He has scored 98 goals in the competition, including a Golden Boot-winning tally of 26 in the 2018-19 campaign.
#1 Samir Handanovic - 524
As far as underrated goalkeepers go, there's no one more so than Samir Handanovic. He has been Milan's undisputed custodian for the past nine years.
He has made over 400 appearances for them in all competitions, including 338 in Serie A. Handanovic made 182 appearances in the competition with Udinese in six years before arriving in Milan.
With over 500 appeaances in Serie A, only four other goalkeepers have made more appearances in the competition than the Slovenian.
Handanovic also played for Lazio and Treviso in 2005, but could only muster four combined appearances. Nevertheless, he's a legend of the league, having kept a total of 185 clean sheets.
