Ildefons Lima has recently concluded his remarkable international football career after 26 years and 137 appearances, marking the longest tenure in International football. Lima, who is 43 years old, first represented Andorra at the age of 17 in 1997 during a 4-1 loss to Estonia, where he even managed to score in Andorra’s second-ever official match.
His international journey spanned multiple decades, with his final international game taking place against Switzerland, resulting in a 3-0 defeat. Ildefons Lima received a heartfelt standing ovation from both Swiss and Andorran fans when he was substituted after just 23 minutes.
The last day has arrived, 26 years since the first, 4 different decades…today, The Last Dance ⚽️🇦🇩🫶🏻 22.06.1997 🇪🇪 ➡️ 12.09.2023🇨🇭#andorra #sion #suisse #switzerland #svizzera #jomaplayer #jomasport #estonia #eesti #kuressaare #weareandorra pic.twitter.com/szLWRqkaKr
— Ildefons Lima Solà 🇦🇩 (@ildelima6) September 12, 2023
He was replaced by Ricard Fernandez Betriu, a teammate who was born nearly two years after Lima’s international debut.
In 2021, Guinness World Records officially recognized Lima for achieving the longest international playing career. Prior to the match against Switzerland, Lima referred to it as “the last dance” in a social media post. Lima took on the role of Andorra’s captain over a decade ago, representing a nation with a population of only 79,000.
https://twitter.com/RIJKSPORTS/status/1698796105083793740
Despite facing over 100 international defeats, the Andorran team has managed to secure victory in just seven competitive fixtures, with their most recent win being a 2-0 victory over Liechtenstein in 2022 in the Nations League.
https://twitter.com/arcuusou/status/1701682011260280911
Notably, Lima became the third European footballer to receive caps in four different decades, joining the ranks of Welsh international Billy Meredith and Finland’s Jari Litmanen. During the summer, he also set a record as the oldest player to participate in a UEFA European Championship qualifier.
Furthermore, Lima holds the distinction of being Andorra’s all-time leading goal scorer, finding the net 11 times during his career.
One of his memorable moments includes a sixth-minute penalty that gave Andorra an unexpected lead against Wales in 2014, although Wales ultimately secured a win with two goals from Gareth Bale. He also scored the opening goal in a 3-1 loss to the Republic of Ireland in a World Cup qualifier in Dublin in 2001.
In 2020, the Andorran Football Federation temporarily removed Lima from the squad after he advocated for increased COVID-19 testing for players. Following pressure from manager Koldo Alvarez and FIFpro, he made a return to the team the following year.
At the club level, Lima has represented Espanyol, Las Palmas, and Rayo Vallecano in Spain and currently plays for FC Andorra B, a club owned by former Spain defender Gerard Pique. In his entire club career, the 43-year-old won 12 Domestic trophies in Andorra, including 7 Andorran 1st Divisions, 2 League cups and 2 Supercups. For his country, Lima has appeared 136 times, scored 11 goals but unfortunately lost more than 100 games.
“I’ve played for 23 years and I still feel the same things that I did before the first game. Other players have told me there will be a moment when you will not feel anything. But, at the moment, I feel everything.” – said Ildefons Lima.
“I take care of myself. I train, I sleep and eat well. You have to do all these things. Fortunately, I have no big injuries. I think that this is a big thing that helps you. Everything gets more difficult, but if you take care of yourself then you can do it. I enjoy playing for the national team. It’s a motivation for me.” – Lima concluded.
