Top 10 'most loyal' players in Europe ranked with just one Premier League star making the list

Figures show that only one Premier League star is among the ten most loyal players in Europe's big-five leagues.

Such are the ways of modern football, it's pretty common for players to play for several teams throughout their career.

Largely gone are the days when players would spend the majority of their careers at one club, as opposed to flitting from one to the other.

There are still some examples of one-club players (or nearly one club) out there, but they are becoming fewer and farther between.

In celebration of Valentine's Day, the CIES Football Observatory has revealed the top ten most loyal male footballers playing in Europe's top five leagues.

The study highlights the players who have been in the first team squad of their current club for the longest uninterrupted period.

Top of the list is Thomas Muller, the charismatic attacker who has spent the last 16 seasons playing for Bayern Munich.

The 34-year-old is one of the most decorated players in world football, having won the Bundesliga 12 times and the Champions League twice. The German also has a World Cup winner's medal in his collection.

Muller is joined at the top of the charts by German full-back Tony Jantschke, who has represented Borussia Monchengladbach for the last 16 seasons.

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Athletic Club de Bilbao duo Iker Muniain and Oscar de Marcos are the third and fourth most loyal players in Europe's big-five leagues.

They have both worn the red and white stripes of the Basque side for 15 seasons now, and this year are fighting to finish inside LaLiga's top four.

The only Premier League player to make the top 10 is Seamus Coleman, who has spent the last 14 seasons at Everton. He comes in at number seven in the rankings.

Outside of Europe's big-five leagues, Russian goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev takes the crown having spent 21 seasons at CSKA Moscow.

The full top ten for Europe's big-five divisions is as follows:

1: Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich), 16 seasons

2: Tony Jantschke (Borussia Monchengladbach), 16 seasons

3: Iker Muniain (Athletic Bilbao), 15 seasons

4: Oscar de Marcos (Athletic Bilbao), 15 seasons

5: Koke Resurreccion (Atletico Madrid), 15 seasons

6: Patrick Hermann (Borussia Monchengladbach), 14.5 seasons

7: Seamus Coleman (Everton), 14 seasons

8: Nacho Fernandez (Real Madrid), 13.5 seasons

9: Sergi Roberto (Barcelona), 13.5 seasons

10: Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), 13 seasons

Topics: Premier League, Manuel Neuer, Thomas Muller, Everton

Alex Brotherton

Alex Brotherton is a Sports Trends Writer at SPORTbible. He has previously worked with publications including the Manchester Evening News, GOAL and BBC Sport. He is a football fanatic, but also dabbles in tennis and American football. He enjoys running, cooking and watching non-league football.

@alex_brotherton