I hope this is the right place to ask this and if it is not I am sorry. I would like to receive positive answers and please no jokes or things of that sort. I was born here in the US and grew up playing basketball as a youth. My parents and not US born but rather my mother from El Salvador and my father from Mexico, Guadalajara to be exact. So my soccer/futbol history is not that intense as many of you on BS. From the ages of 19 to 21 I lived in Mexico were I learned how to play soccer/futbol and absolutely loved it. Started playing when I came back to the US and still play now, I am 27 now. Me and my father follow the Mexican soccer league very closely because to be honest the MLS is not that great. So we were talking this past Saturday because the season had just started and we were talking about the number 10 and how popular it is. My question is why is that particular number so popular in the Soccer World? My understanding of it was because Pele wore that number and everyone else to honor him would wear it as well. My father's take on it was that in Mexico the grading scale in school is from 1-10 and 10 being equivalent to an A here in the US. So if you wore the number 10 it is like you are saying you game is perfect and you deserved the grade "10". I would like to know why all the hype about number 10 and the reasons behind it. Any and all information is greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!
Some famous players have worn the number, but also the number "10" position for almost the entire modern history of the sport has been the designation of a withdrawn forward or attacking midfielder. Generally the "flair" position in any team whether they have a famous player or not. It is a bit confusing now because for the last 50 years numbers have been assigned to players rather than positions generally speaking. Originally the 11 team uniforms were usually assigned to positions (and there were no subs at all). Now that subs are allowed, teams need uniforms for the substitutes too.
