Top five outfield footballers to have played most minutes in 2020

Some of these players have shown incredible longevity for their respective teams.

2020 is soon coming to an end. Along with the rest of the world, this year brought a lot of changes in the world of football as well. Despite all the new guidelines, protocols and extended campaigns, some footballers thrived and participated for a longer duration of minutes in the games.

It’s an art to stay fit and continue to feature for your respective teams throughout the course of an year. Some of the players mentioned in the article are indispensable for their outfits and have played key roles in their success. Above all, these footballers have appeared in the most numbers of games, accumulating the highest minutes on the pitch.

Based on the data compiled by CIES Football Observatory until December 18, the following are the five outfield footballers who have racked up the most minutes in 2020.

5. Bruno Pacheco (Ceara SC) - 4,162 minutes

https://youtu.be/sScaHIlwsJ8?t=29

Bruno Pacheco is a left-back who plays for Brazilian club Ceara SC in the Brasileiro Serie A. The 29-year-old racked up 4,162 minutes over the course of the year. He moved to his current employers from Chapecoense in January 2020.

The defender is a crucial element in the squad and is the only player from a non-European league to feature in this list. 

4. Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United) - 4,164 minutes

https://youtu.be/EzqcPEYYDfo?t=8

urno Fernandes has set the stage on fire in the Premier League since moving to Manchester United from Sporting Lisbon. The midfielder has 40 goal contributions for the Red Devils in 42 appearances till now and has been instrumental in their recent resurgence. 

The Portuguese has featured heavily for the English giants and manages to give his 100% in every game. Racking up 4,164 minutes, he is fourth among the footballers who have played most minutes in 2020.

3. Lionel Messi (FC Barcelona) - 4,293 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25--VoxEYe8

FC Barcelona superstar, Lionel Messi is third on the list after featuring for a total of 4,293 minutes in 2020. The Argentine set a record of 22 assists in a league campaign by the end of last season and has continued to play a vital role for his team in tough times too.

The 33-year-old played most minutes in the LaLiga out of all other outfield footballers. However, the talk around the club is that Messi is set to leave FC Barcelona, even after they barely managed to convince him to stay at the start of the current campaign. 

2. Ruben Dias (Manchester City) - 4,344 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QdbrRF5V8c

Former SL Benfica star Ruben Dias joined Manchester City in September 2020 for a fee in the region of €68m. While he has majorly featured in the Portuguese division this year, his role in Pep Guardiola’s squad is central to their defensive setup.

As a result, the 23-year-old is the first name on the team sheet. Due to his ability to stay free of injuries, the defender has accumulated 4,344 minutes of playing time in the calendar year, second-most in the world for any outfield player.

1. Harry Maguire (Manchester United) - 4,745 minutes

https://youtu.be/x693QNUu9wM?t=14

Manchester United captain and England international, Harry Maguire has played most minutes in 2020. Having featured for a total of 4,745 minutes for club and country, Maguire sits at the top of the rankings. The center back has been a key figure in the Red Devil’s defensive performance and continues to feature heavily.

Interestingly, 2020 was an eventful year for Maguire, who was caught up in a controversy where the player was arrested by Greek authorities. He also played through an injury for a major part of the first half of 2020 to guide the Red Devils to a top-four finish in Premier League. 

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