Koke Resurrección will match Bobby Charlton's record of 746 appearances for a single club if he plays against Osasuna tonight at 19:00. The Atlético Madrid captain would reach a loyalty milestone that would place him as Europe's eighth 'One Club Man', a symbol of permanence in an era of increasing player mobility.
The 34-year-old midfielder made his first-team debut on September 19, 2009, when Abel Resino brought him on to replace Paulo Assunção against Barcelona. Since then, he has completed 15 seasons with the senior squad, becoming the active player with the most La Liga campaigns, ahead of Gayà and Jan Oblak. His low injury rate, with fewer than 70 matches missed in his entire career, contrasts with Pablo Barrios's more than 50 absences in just three seasons.
A leader at the Metropolitano
His influence extends beyond the pitch. "It's incredible. In yesterday's training at the Metropolitano, you could see him constantly first in every exercise, giving his all and tutoring the young players in the squad," a member of the coaching staff said. Manager Diego Simeone always has words of praise for the only footballer remaining from the squad before his arrival at the club. This season, following the departure of his friend Antoine Griezmann to Orlando, the weight of leadership falls even more on his shoulders. His recent form is solid, with 2 assists in his last 5 league games, and his minutes per goal or assist average this season is 270 minutes.
To reach the top five of this historic ranking, Koke would need 40 more appearances, up to Francesco Totti's 786. Ahead of him are legends like Paolo Maldini (902) and Ryan Giggs (963), while the world record is held by Brazilian goalkeeper Rogério Ceni, with 1,237 games for São Paulo.
Osasuna, meanwhile, arrive at this match after two consecutive defeats, the latest a 0-2 loss to Espanyol on September 12. The Navarrese side sits 11th in La Liga with 7 points, from 2 wins, 1 draw, and 2 losses in the first five matchdays. Their top scorer is Ante Budimir with 4 goals. The next fixture is against Rayo Vallecano at El Sadar, a direct clash with the 12th-placed team. The team is currently without Aimar Oroz, Jorge Herrando, and Moi Gómez.
First reported at El Mundo Deportes
