17 Seasons and Counting: Seamus Coleman Joins Football’s Most Loyal

A phenomenon that has become a rarity in recent years, football players spending the majority, if not all, of their career at one club. Some names that spring to mind are Ryan Giggs and Paolo Maldini, who both remained loyal to their respective clubs over the years. However the football climate has changed since the duo retired, with the temptation of illustrious wages and moves abroad often being the downfall of this prestigious achievement.

Despite this, Seamus Coleman has been the exception to the rule as he has signed a one-year contract extension to push his time with Everton to 17 years. Football Park takes a look at some of the players who have been loyal to a single club over the years.

Seamus Coleman – 17 Years

Seamus Coleman has been a long-standing figure within the Everton team for 16 years. He has made 428 appearances for the Toffees in all competitions and holds the club record for the highest number of Premier League appearances with 369. His newly signed contract has extended his stay with the team for another year, meaning the club captain will have spent 17 years with the Merseyside based outfit.

The Irish international joined Everton in January 2009 from Ireland Premier Division team Sligo Rovers for £60,000. Ironically the Toffees manager at the time was David Moyes, who is currently enjoying his second stint with the club. The Scottish manager has piled praise onto the 36-year-old.

"His leadership, his professionalism and his humanity are second to none. He's helped carry the club through some difficult periods in the past few years and his influence in the dressing room has been key to that," said Moyes.

Coleman made his debut for Everton in their game against Benfica in the Europa League on 22nd October 2009. The Toffees lost the game 5-0, but the right-back enjoyed a much better outing in his first ever start at Goodison Park three days later. It was a Premier League game against Tottenham Hotspur, which he came on in the first half to replace the injured Joseph Yobo. Coleman went on to claim the Man of the Match award and set the tone for the rest his time with the Toffees. He is the current longest-serving player at a single club in the Premier League, with his tenure at Everton not coming to a close just yet.

🚨🇮🇪 𝐎𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋 | Seamus Coleman (36) has signed a 1-year contract with Everton! 🔵✅

He's been playing for Everton for since 2009 and is one of the longest serving players in Europe's top 5 leagues.

Coleman has 428 appearances and counting for Everton. 👏 pic.twitter.com/Za2WVrqy9b

— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) June 28, 2025

Ryan Giggs – 29 Years

Ryan Giggs spent his entire professional career with Manchester United and is one of the best wingers the club has ever seen. The Welsh international spent 29 years with the Red Devils but was a player for 23 seasons. He made a staggering 963 appearances for United, which is the most in the club's history. The winger also holds the record for the highest number of Premier League appearances with 632. He won a record 13 Premier League titles, alongside two Champions League titles and four FA Cups among many other trophies.

Giggs never once blinked at the temptation to move abroad for a new challenge, something which a lot of players have done. Instead he decided to build his legacy at Manchester United as a club legend and earn the respect of fans for his loyalty and longevity.

However, the Welsh international did admit that he was close to an exit from Old Trafford in 2004. He says the transition from being a wide winger to coming more inside left him contemplating his future at the club. Due to his loss of pace, Giggs was forced to adapt his position as a winger, at first leading to a downturn in performance. However he picked up his form towards the end of the 2003/04 season, diminishing any doubts over his future.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿👋 11 years ago today: Ryan Giggs made his final appearance for Manchester United. 🥹

He played for just one club in his senior career: Manchester United. Giggs spent a total of 27 years there.

963 appearances, 168 goals, 268 assists and 35 trophies won. Respect. 🔝 pic.twitter.com/3U8Ibxlnnq

— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) May 6, 2025

Paolo Maldini – 30 Years

Paolo Maldini spent 30 years at AC Milan, surging his way through the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s to spend multiple decades with the Italian giant. He spent all 25 seasons of his career with the Italian club and made 902 appearances between 1985 and 2009, the most in the history of the club. The Italy international won 26 trophies with the Rossoneri, which included seven Serie A titles, five European Cup/Champions Leagues as well as many other domestic and international accolades.

Maldini joined AC Milan’s youth academy aged 10 in 1978. He quickly proved that he was good enough to play for the first team, as at just 16-years-old he made his league debut against Udinese on 20th January 1985. The defender went on to establish himself as a centrepiece within the AC Milan squad, naturally attracting interest from clubs. The likes of Manchester United and Chelsea tried to secure his signing, but Maldini’s loyalty and deep connection to the club meant that any possible moves away were quickly wilted.

Paolo Maldini at #ACMilan (1985-2009):

☑️ Appearances - 905
⏰ Minutes - 78,826
⚽️ Goals - 35
🏆 Trophies - 27

🐐🔴⚫️ pic.twitter.com/44zCQu3b9f

— MilanData📊 (@acmilandata) June 25, 2019

Trent Alexander-Arnold – 20 Years

Now I know what you’re thinking, Trent doesn’t belong in this list as he’s just left his boyhood club Liverpool to join the European powerhouse Real Madrid. However he is an example of a player who decided to leave his childhood club in order to face a new challenge elsewhere. This is something the names higher up this list haven’t done, showing how not all players in this position choose to remain at one club.

Alexander-Arnold joined Liverpool’s academy aged six in 2004 and was given the captains armband at Under-16 and Under-18 levels. He made his debut for the Reds aged 18 on 25th October 2016 against Tottenham Hotspur in the EFL Cup. Since then, he has won two Premier League titles, a Champions League, and six other major trophies to bring his total to nine major honours.

The former Liverpool player spent 20 years at the club and left to join Real Madrid aged 26. It looked like if the England international had stayed at the Merseyside outfit for his whole career, he would’ve joined the likes of Steven Gerrard as an icon of the club. Some Liverpool fans may still consider him a club legend, however his move to Los Blancos has changed the minds of others, dividing their fanbase.

An emotional Liverpool farewell for Trent Alexander-Arnold 🥹

A picture perfect ending to 20 years at Anfield 📸🏆 pic.twitter.com/Zsytvg7Nz7

— Premier League (@premierleague) May 25, 2025

Jeremie Frimpong has replaced Alexander-Arnold, but is he the right fit? Check out our article to see if the former Bayer Leverkusen man can fill the void left by Trent.