Roma's defender Evan Ndicka smashes Serie A endurance record

The French-Ivorian centre-back became the first Roma outfield player since the 20-team Serie A format began in 2004 to play every minute of all 38 league matches without a single substitution. This extraordinary achievement, spanning 3,420 minutes, sets a new benchmark for consistency in the Italian top flight.

Ndicka's record is a testament to his physical resilience and tactical importance to Roma. "It's an honour to play every game for this club," Ndicka said via Roma's official channels on X. "I just want to give everything for the team and the fans."

His unwavering presence anchored Roma's defence, helping them secure a Europa League spot under Claudio Ranieri, who praised the defender's commitment. "Evan's a warrior. He's been phenomenal for us," Ranieri told Football Italia after Roma's final match, a victory that sealed their European qualification.

No other Roma outfield player in the past 21 years has matched Ndicka's feat. The closest was Rodrigo Taddei in 2005-06, who started all 38 matches but was substituted in 20 of them. Tammy Abraham also played every game in 2022-23 but started only 24, highlighting Ndicka's unique stamina. "It's incredible to think someone can play every second in this era," former Roma captain Aldair, the last to achieve a similar feat in 1999-2000, told Il Romanista.

Across Serie A since 2004, only eight other outfield players have completed an entire season without being substituted: Leonardo Bonucci (Bari, 2009-10), Alessandro Agostini (Cagliari, 2009-10), Daniele Rugani (Empoli, 2014-15), Francesco Acerbi (Sassuolo, 2016-17 and 2017-18), Milan Skriniar (Inter, 2017-18), Francesco Caputo (Empoli, 2018-19), and Federico Baschirotto (Lecce, 2024-25).

This elite group underscores the rarity of Ndicka's accomplishment, especially in an era with the five-substitution rule, introduced in 2020, which has made full-season stints even tougher.

As Roma prepare for the 2025-26 season, Ndicka's ironman performance sets a high bar. With new coaching targets like Cesc Fabregas reportedly in the frame to replace Ranieri, according to The Cult of Calcio, Ndicka's reliability will remain crucial. 

For now, his record stands as a shining example of endurance in a demanding league, earning him a place among Serie A's most resilient warriors.