The Greatest Footballers per Shirt Number?

I prefer "iconic" rather than best or greatest and the numbers above 11, because they are rarer. Maybe I overlook some.

Number 12

Both Thierry Henry and Marco van Basten used this for their country. Henry did it even as a tribute (Reus and Asensio have it in their names given by their parents). I don't know a really iconic player who used it for their club as starting player. At a stretch Giroud and Henry himself when he returned to the club. Sometimes goalkeepers stick with it, but only Marcos has seen it retired.

Number 13

With all due respect to others, this can only be Gerd Müller or Eusebio. Eusebio was the first African born player to be arguably the world's best (too bad he got early knee problems but remained a world class player). For club use it's probably Nesta, although Ballack was maybe as good a footballer, if not better (born in the same year; 1976 one of the best ever imho).

Number 14

This can only be Cruijff, with all due respect to others as Weah, Tigana, Henry, Modric and De Bruyne (many more; Xabi Alonso). It's also used by legendary attackers making their debut, like Messi or Van Basten.

Number 15

One match commentator liked to call Nemanja Vidic "the best number 15 we have seen [relative to his position]". Also other defenders as Maguire, Hummels, and Thuram have used it though. I guess Sergio Ramos will become the "most iconic", but he has only done it for country. Domestically it's also tied to the 18-years old Kluivert scoring the winning goal in the 1995 Champions League final (14 + 1). Maybe someone as Van Nistelrooij (born exactly the same day) was a better player, but it remains iconic from the "history was on holiday" era.

Number 16

I think Roy Keane sticks out like a sore thumb, but didn't use it for Ireland. Sergio Busquets did and does for Spain. Fabian Barthez also liked it.

Number 17

This is tough. Henrik Larsson maybe?

Number 18

Think players as Scholes, Baggio, Messi, Zamorano, Rooney only used it as some reserve number. Can't think of a real icon you can attach to this.

Number 19

Gascoigne, Modric, Messi used it but is it their primary number? Leonardo Bonucci will possibly be the most iconic, as someone who used it is a real 'main number' and also not as 'second choice number'. Bonucci has an argument for being the most skilled central defender of his generation, combined with creating actual danger.

Number 20

I'd say Paolo Rossi for country. For club is harder. Bierhoff is an option, as someone using it consistently. Has the moment too.

Moments: Van Persie used it when 'leading' Manchester United to his 20th and final league title, with a record game/points winning goals and assists. Solskjaer used it too at several iconic moments as the 1999 final. Seedorf his superstition demanded he preferred #20 (euro 2004, for clubs like in 2003), but most often was asked to use the #10 shirt (Real Madrid, Internazionale, Milan, Botafogo). You don't turn that down. The #6 of Ajax he didn't like.

 

Wed be missing some truly great players like Johan Cruyff(or later Thierry Henry)who adopted the number 14 shirt


And there are others who are commonly(and incorrectly)associated with one shirt number(like George best wearing a number 7)

Playing for Manchester United he wore a number 7,8,10 and 11 shirts



As a number 8 he scored 14 goals in 42 appearances for Manchester United

As a number 10 he scored 18 goals in 39 appearances for Manchester United

As a number 11 he scored 90 goals in 246 appearances for Manchester United

90 goals is just under 50% of his Manchester United haul and I'd think the greatest proponents of that shirt number(11) in recent times would be Neymar jr,Rivaldo and Romario de souza





It comes down to what individual skillets you value most.




Number 10 is easily the most contested
There are usual suspects
The 'holy trinity' Pele,Maradona and Messi

But there was also Eusebio(at his peak in 1965/66 he was world cup top scorer,top scorer in the Portuguese primera division, and top in scorer in the European cup)

I don't know if anyone ever did that and for sure its not certain Diego Maradona ever had a single season this dominant

Others like Michel platini,Zico,Hagi,Zidane,neymar at PSG etc

Michael laudrup is commonly associated with a number 9 although i could be wrong.
For me no one can take that shirt number of Ronaldo de lima(although for inter 1997/98 he wore a number 10 and for many this was the pinnacle of his career)
Gerd muller as a 9 (although he donned the number 13 shirt in the worst day of pucks life)


For number 7 there is only 2 names that deserve serious consideration
garrincha and Cristiano Ronaldo

Their entire legend is/was built with that number on their back

 

Number 12 for country one could mention Alain Giresse.
Number 20 for country one could add David Trezeguet.

 

Just Fontaine was number 17 in that 1958 World Cup I think wasn't he too?

 

Klinsmann escaped my attention.
https://www.transfermarkt.com/jurgen-klinsmann/rueckennummern/spieler/16980

Kopa and Fontaine didn't but I am not sure whether it was a "main number" for them. Maybe I am wrong.

Another one with number 17 is Kevin de Bruyne, but again, not entirely sure it is his main number although he is not too bothered about it either (think his most desired numbers are 7 and 14).

https://www.transfermarkt.com/kevin-de-bruyne/rueckennummern/spieler/88755

 

Yes, it's really only that it's their number from the games they are most known for I guess, not that it's associated with them outside of that (but players of that era normally used 1-11 of course).

I knew Klinsmann for number 18, with it being his number at Tottenham of course. Michael Owen in his early years wore 18 for Liverpool, but actually number 20 at the 1998 World Cup.

 

For number 17 there is maybe Van Bommel as a stopgap solution. I think he did like and wanted that number. He had it at Barcelona, for Oranje youth teams and for Bayern.

I saw on the German public broadcaster website a video where he is mentioned. In a series of videos about the tactical evolution for the 'number 6'.

https://www.zdf.de/sport/zdf-sportreportage/van-bommel-kramer-vergleich-100.html

In essence his hardness/meanness is mentioned, that some football fans crave for a "leader" like him. But it is also said he was tactically strong ("outstanding strategist") and "didn't need it" because he was a good footballer too ("constructor" and preparation of goals) and tackled cleanly as well.

Not sure whether he'll be among the best options for "icons" (relative to Larsson) but he does have the highest winning percentage of all Oranje players with more than 50 caps.

 

Yeah, I guess if a balanced squad was attempted that could be a solution potentially too.

I remembered that Kingsley Black wore number 17 (when I thought about the number) for the relatively small amount of Nottingham Forest games he played after squad numbers were introduced (well, from one season later because Forest were in the second tier for the first season they were used in the Premier League), but for real candidates for this exercise that came to mind also there is Roberto Donadoni I guess based on wearing the number in both Euro 88 and World Cup 1990 (but not 1994, and it wasn't clear in my mind that he wore 17 in 1990 either as I wasn't sure it wasn't Baggio before refreshing my memory), while Andrei Kancheskis wore it as an Everton player (but not as a Manchester United one, and he wore number 8 for both NT tournaments he played in).

Steve McManaman did wear 17 at Liverpool and in Euro 96. If going outside 20 numbers I thought about David Beckham for 23 (he chose it I think for Real Madrid and LA Galaxy, but had 32 at AC Milan, and had been number 10 and 7 for Manchester United). Again Bryan Roy would come to mind for 22, but it's natural Nottingham Forest numbers stick in my mind more I'm sure, and there will be more famous candidates I guess who associate with that number in international tournaments or at club level (I guess....).

 

Works better if he had also used it for the senior national team, and at the 2010 World Cup where he made the statistics based all-star team (the 'Castrol' index, which takes pitch position of the action into account).

McManaman I wasn't aware of either. Good one. Especially the usage for both club and country.

 

I was thinking about how an "iconic" NED and BEL squad would look like but it's harder than I thought! For example, the number 4 shirt has quite a few options.

Use google translate for this page:
https://www.digisport.ro/fotbal/lig...toata-povestea-intr-un-documentar-uefa-954461

It's easier when moving beyond the #11 shirt really.

 

Franky Vercauteren has come to mind for number 6, but I guess you have other options! He did seem to be associated with that number though didn't he?

 

In those terms he is also discussed. It has to be noted though that some others like Effenberg, Ballack, Kohler had an as high proportion of yellow cards in their career (or the international level with Dani Alves, Ramos etc. in the mix).

I personally have some sympathy for him, for a part because he has really been the only world class (elite) player to come out from his hilly Limburg area (in my opinion), has some great goals too, had a positive input on AC Milan as well, showed quick adaptability throughout his career etc. Even though the best female player in history (Martens) has also come from there and Courtois was born only and grew up roughly 10-20 kilometres removed from him.

This is what they say:

The six - control center between attack and defense
Football greats then and now: Part 5 - Van Bommel vs. Kramer

Whether uncompromising leaders like Mark van Bommel or self-sacrificing midfield engines like Christoph Kramer: The defensive midfielders provide the decisive accents both in attack and in defense
[...]
"And when one talks about destruction/dissolution then no manner escapes him, to Mark van Bommel. His playing-style: body physical. His behavior in duels: without compromise. The Dutchman was (in)famous for his defensive abilities. Or to say it different, either you lose the ball or it smacks. Or both together.

Many see motivating impulses for his team in his aggressive occurrences. Van Bommel was a Führungsspieler (wikipedia). As captain he probed Bayern for a few years. For many his battling spirit and toughness represent unfortunately a missing mentality among current players.

Yes, Van Bommel dispossessed the ball not always fairly. But Van Bommel was not merely the clearer some held him for. He was also an outstanding strategist, who with important passes initiated attacks. His resilience broke through the opponents defenses and prepared goals. He was a personality on the pitch. He smacked the team ahead, showed/said the direction forward, and had the courage for the (shooting) hammer from the 2nd line.

As chef on the field he convinced above all with performances. Many of his provocations he didn't need at hindsight, the 'aggressive leader' also controlled/mastered that second thing; the constructive task area of the number six, the director.
[...]
Leading player and worker; the playing styles of Van Bommel and Kramer are clearly contrasting.

https://www.zdf.de/sport/zdf-sportreportage/van-bommel-kramer-vergleich-100.html

Anyway, after some searching it is indeed true that #17 was a wanted number for him, and not just some reserve number.

But right now I'd say Henrik Larsson is still the best option.

 

This is inevitable because he only started to use #14 when he returned from a problematic injury at the end of 1970, with the fortune of his club going down (sixth in the table). It became a superstition and also what we nowadays call a 'brand'.

Then in Spain (1973-1978) the authorities banned him from using #14. Then in his final season at Feyenoord there was also something going on; with the traditionalist manager not liking it and the KNVB having received letters from FIFA and UEFA. That FIFA (with Havelange and Grondona at top) then don't care about Ardiles playing with #1 is typical.

What is open for debate is the novelty of this. When one looks at the 'nummer 14' documentary film, one sees many Eredivisie opponents playing with high numbers, above 30 even. Maybe not the real star names (among other things) but still.

Finally, for some reason the UEFA even handed out fines to the national team when he used it and UEFA itself assigned the numbers for 1976 (I have my thoughts about this; UEFA itself is not a person or a group of persons).

Article mentioning the fines:
https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:010958592:mpeg21:a0233

Article mentioning UEFA themselves assigning the numbers for them:
https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ABCDDD:010840283:mpeg21:a0173


Certain is that from 1971 onward this was his preferred number, for a major part informed by superstition (because of the whole injury and returning well from it).

 

And we have now also reached the stage where Bobby Charlton gets picked over Cruijff for the European #9...

Although of course an English player needs to be in the team, that makes great sense (but, with two Portuguese players in the team as well).

 

Ceulemans used it regularly for his club but I think his iconic number (and one he also wanted) was #11. Also when he played centrally in midfield (Souness of course also had #11). In case of a more traditional numbering he used #6, in international competitions.

Another option is Franky van der Elst (who I liked as well) but he is as often associated with #3. He was missed in the 1986 semi final honestly. Very nice player (video another one).

These two players were in the FIFA 100 of course.

Others to have used it are Timmy Simons, Radja Nainggolan, Tielemans, Vertonghen (as midfielder), Van Moer and others. In all these cases I'm however not convinced. Van Moer had his brightest career moments with #8 I think. In the 1979-80 season he used #6 but switched to #8 at euro 1980.

Talking about the #2: I'm not sure how often Thuram used this for club and country. Suurbier played with #20 in 1974 and 1978 (but #2 in 1976 because of the UEFA trickery and arguably sabotaging). I think Micheal Reiziger is a good option as well. I think he was quite similar to Kyle Walker in style and strengths, and was missed greatly in the 1998 semi final (also other options and back-up options as Bogarde, Numan were injured or missing). See this thing.

Imho Suurbier is one of these otherwise good players who had the luck to be part of iconic teams and formations (his most frequent team-mate was Cruijff himself, who has the all-time highest winning percentage in Eredivisie history). In my mind Reiziger was indeed about as good as him (and actually won things as well, or was runner-up and semi finalist many times). Berry van Aerle his numbering was all over the place, also because of not exclusively playing as right-back.