Who is football’s most legendary No 9? Has there ever been a legendary No 28? And why exactly does Mario Balotelli love wearing No 45 so much? Here’s our list and the stories behind it
Key Match Highlights & Tactical Analysis
The relationship between players and numbers is a long-established one filled with memories and fascinating as well as fun stories behind them. With that in mind, the Guardian has had a go at deciding which male player is best associated with each squad number, from 1-50. Various factors were taken into consideration, including how long a player wore/has worn that number, what they achieved/have achieved in it, why they decided to wear it in the first place and, in some cases, how distinctly it has become associated with them in death. The below list is highly subjective and ultimately a bit of fun, but don’t let that stop you being shocked and furious in equal measure.
One is the loneliest number, but it also allows you to stand out – especially in football, where you play by different rules and wear different attire. Nobody stood out quite like Yashin, the almost mythical USSR and Dinamo Moscow goalkeeper of the 1950s and 1960s. He often wore a flat cap in goal, and his trademark kit led to the nicknames “Black Spider” or “Black Panther” (strictly speaking, it should have been the less catchy Very Very Dark Blue Spider). Yashin remains the only goalkeeper to have won the Ballon d’Or; with a respectful nod to Dino Zoff, Peter Schmeichel and others, he was a simple choice.
Source: The Guardian Sport
