What is a Cap in Soccer?

What is a cap in soccer?

The term cap is used in soccer to describe the number of international games a player has played for his team. It all started when players were given physical caps to celebrate their presence in international games.

While it tells what it means and a little about its origin, it gives no information about the significance of earning a cap for soccer players.

How can a player earn a cap?

Whenever someone uses the term cap for a soccer player, it only signifies their appearance for an international game with their national team.

FIFA only accepts certain international matches for a player to be awarded a cap, known as the A games. Here is a list of the A games where players may earn a cap:

• FIFA World Cup games
• Qualifying for competitions in a World Cup
• Friendly games among national teams
• Olympic final
• Olympic qualifying games
• Continental competition games
• Qualifying games for continental competition games

Only when players play in one of these games can they earn a cap. It means that a soccer player might play 500 games with a club team and never play any of the above-listed games.

Thus, such a soccer player will never earn a soccer cap. Similarly, if a player plays only 200 games in his whole career with 50 international games for the national team, he will earn 50 caps.

Which is the highest honor in the game for a player

Hundreds of club players are in different countries worldwide, but only a few are selected to play in the national team for international matches. So, whenever someone is selected to play for their national team, it is one of the highest honors for that player.

This selection signifies that the player is among the top players in the country, and he gets to represent the country in an international soccer game.

Additionally, it is an honorable moment as he gets to play with the rest of the squad, some of which might be international soccer stars.

Not only are the team players stars, but the opposing team may also include some of the world’s leading players. So, to make this moment more memorable, the player earns a cap.

However, earning a cap is not enough to be selected for the national team. Marking a presence on the field in 90 minutes is essential to receive a cap.

It means that the playing 11 and any other players that join the team during the match as substrates will also earn a cap even if the substitute joins the team in the last 30 seconds of the game.

Where did the team soccer cap originate from?

It is quite surprising for some that the term soccer cap comes from historical practice where every player was given a physical cap for every international match they played.

It started in England in 1886 when the first honorary secretary of the Football Association proposed giving an embraided cap for appearing as an international player.

It was to appreciate their abilities and dedication to play with their country’s national team. This proposal was accepted, and afterward, all the players playing international games for England were awarded a cap.

How is the tradition of soccer caps going now?

It became a practice, but it was not as popular back then. Players will not regularly get a cap for every match they play. Instead, they will get a cap for achieving a milestone of 50 games.

There are no specific official rules, and all country’s national officials from the soccer association decide how they want to carry on with this historical practice.

That’s why you will find some countries not awarding any caps at all. Similarly, England is the country where every player gets a cap for every international game.

Only in the tournaments where one cap is given to celebrate the whole tournament do players get one cap. Otherwise, every player in the England national team gets an embroidered cap for every game they play.

The highest number of caps in men’s soccer

The current player with the highest number of caps in men’s soccer is Ahmed Hassan, who has an Egyptian player. He holds the record of having the most caps by any international men’s football player in the history of the sport, by having 184 caps.

The highest number of caps in women’s soccer

Who has the most caps in women’s soccer? Kristine Lilly from the United States played for the national team from August 1987 to November 2010. In 23 years and two months, she earned 354 caps, surpassing the highest number of men’s soccer caps.

What does 100 caps mean in soccer?

Now that you know what is a cap in international soccer, have you ever heard what 100 caps mean? Well, it is a rare milestone, as all players may not achieve it.

100 caps mean that the player has been a part of his national team and played in international games in at least 100 matches.

Depending on the national soccer association’s decision, he may get a special cap for his 100 matches or a cap for each time he appears.

Conclusion

There are several ways to show a player’s achievements in soccer. The biggest achievements are the medals, awards, and cups they have won. However, a cap in soccer is also a significant achievement as it tells that the player has represented his country in an international game.

Players often create milestones for themselves, like 50 caps or 100 caps, which can be a celebration of their dedication to the national team.