When you start getting involved in soccer, you hear all sorts of terminology thrown around. One of the more common words you may hear players or spectators use is the word “cap” or a phrase like “player x has multiple caps”. But many people don’t understand what a cap means in soccer.



In this article, I’m going to explain the meaning of the term “cap”.



In soccer, a cap is the term used to describe how many international games a player has participated in. The term originated in England where players were given a physical cap to commemorate their involvement in an international game. Players no longer receive a physical cap, but the term is still used.



Although this explains what the term means or refers to, it doesn’t explain why a player’s appearance in a soccer game is called a cap or where the term originated. Well, keep reading, and we’ll find out the answer to those questions as well as revealing which soccer players have gained the most caps for their respective countries.



How Does a Soccer Player Earn a Cap?

The term “cap” is only used in relation to a player’s appearances for their national team at an international level.



The world governing body for soccer, Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), only recognizes certain international games as one’s where a player can be awarded a cap. These games are regarded as International “A” games.



The list of games where a player can earn a cap includes:



The world governing body for soccer, Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), only recognizes certain international games as one’s where a player can be awarded a cap. These games are regarded as International “A” games.



The list of games where a player can earn a cap includes:







Games played within a FIFA World Cup

Games played in the qualifying competitions for a World Cup

Continental competitions and their qualifying games

Friendly games between senior national teams

Olympic final and qualifying matches



This means that one soccer player could play 500 games for their club team, but never make an appearance in an international game and therefore never earn a cap.



Likewise, a player could only play 200 times for their local soccer club, but make 50 appearances at an international level and therefore earn 50 caps.



Although it is worth saying that there are occasions where you will hear someone refer to the number of times a player has appeared for their club team as “caps”, but this is rare and not how the term is commonly used in soccer.



When a soccer player is selected to appear for their national team it is considered one of the highest honors in the game.



The selection says to the player, and everyone else, that this player is one of the best soccer players in the country and they are good enough to go and represent their country in an international soccer game.



They will then join up with the rest of the squad of players and prepare to play against another international team.



However, this selection in itself is not enough to earn a player a cap.



Just because they have been selected for the squad doesn’t automatically mean they receive a cap. To receive a cap, a player has to actually make an appearance for the team on the soccer field during a game.



Each player who takes part in the game at some point throughout the regulation 90 minute period will receive a cap to mark their appearance.



Not only the 11 players who start the game but every player who comes on as a substitute at some point throughout the game as well.

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