Benzema, Busquets and 6 Other Active Longest-Serving Players in European Clubs

• Loyalty is looking like a long-dead attribute in football with players moving more frequently
• There are still footballers who have been loyal to their current clubs long enough to be termed loyal
• Sergio Busquets and Karim Benzema have been at Barcelona and Real Madrid for over 10 years

Loyalty used to be a thing in football, but these days it is rare to find among footballers, with lucrative offers, exposure and other factors influencing player movements.

Francesco Totti, Ryan Giggs, Paolo Maldini and Carles Puyol are some of the past footballers who played for their boyhood clubs throughout their storied careers.

As much as the possibility of playing for just one club is lower, some footballers have stayed with their current clubs long enough than others.

Sports Brief looks at eight footballers, including Sergio Busquets and Karim Benzema, who have stayed longest at their current clubs, as first reported by Sportskeeda.

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1. Sergio Busquets - Barcelona

Spanish midfield maestro Sergio Busquets is the most loyal footballer in Europe. He has been with the Blaugrana since he was promoted to the first team in 2008, having joined La Masia three years before.

According to ESPN, he accepted a wage cut and deferral after COVID-19 to help Barcelona's struggling finances in a show of loyalty to the only club he has played for in his professional career.

2. Thomas Muller - Bayern Munich

The versatile attacker has been on Bayern Munich's first team books since 2008 and caught world attention at the 2010 FIFA World in South Africa, where Germany finished 3rd.

His exploits could have earned him a move away, but he stayed with the Bavarians and has won multiple trophies, including 11 German league titles.

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3. Koke - Atletico Madrid

A one-man club through and through. Even during his youth days, Koke knows no other club. He came through the youth system of Los Rojiblancos and has been a first-team regular since 2009.

His loyalty paid off as he won two league titles in the 2013/14 and 2020/21 seasons. The only time a team other than Barcelona or Real Madrid won the La Liga title.

4. Anthony Lopes - Olympique Lyonnais

The Portuguese goalkeeper, born in France, joined the youth system of Lyon in 2000, received his professional contract in 2008 and has been an integral team member since then.

France24 reports that he extended his contract till 2025 last June, which could see him retire at the club, cementing his status as a one-man club.

5. Stefan Radu - SS Lazio

The Romanian defender joined Lazio from boyhood club Dinamo Bucuresti in 2008, initially on loan. He has won three Coppa Italia's and a Supercoppa Italiana. Football Italia reported that his contract expires in the summer, and he has announced he would retire at the end of the season.

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6. Iker Muniain - Athletic Bilbao

Spanish Messi, as he is famously referred to due to his style of play, has been part of the Basque club since 2009 and was named captain in 2019. He is currently third on the all-time appearance list with over 500 games, behind legendary goalkeeper Jose Iribar and Txetxu Rojo, according to BeSoccer.

7. Seamus Coleman - Everton

The Irish defender has been at Merseyside since 2009 though he spent a season on loan at Blackpool in 2010. He has been the club's captain since 2019 but could leave at the season's end with his contract expiring.

8. Karim Benzema

The reigning Ballon d'Or winner joined Real Madrid in 2009 and has been an integral member of the first team since despite having offers from other clubs. He recently extended his contract till the summer of 2024.

Eurosport reported that he was linked with a move away to Arsenal in 2015, but the French striker laughed it off, claiming he would leave the best club in the world for the Gunners.

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Ronaldo accused of lacking loyalty

Sports Brief reported that former Aston Villa striker Gabby Agbonlahor accused Cristiano Ronaldo of lacking loyalty during his exit saga at the end of last season.

The 38-year-old was linked with a move to Manchester United's city rivals before he returned to Old Trafford. After the Red Devils missed the Champions League, he threatened to quit.

He eventually stayed, but his contract was terminated after an explosive interview with Piers Morgan. He currently plays for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia.