Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish sported the number during his many years at Anfield in which he established himself as a Kop great, along with Luis Figo and George Best. The No.7 shirt has been synonymous with Ronaldo, the number following him during later moves to Real Madrid and Juventus. The No.7 shirt is reserved for wingers and second strikers, though there are some examples of legendary central strikers who have worn the shirt, thus giving the number classic status.Ĭristiano Ronaldo was given the No.7 shirt at Manchester United by Sir Alex Ferguson, following in the footsteps of former greats who wore the number such as Eric Cantona and David Beckham – with the Scottish manager believing that giving him such a shirt would give him a boost of confidence. In recent times, the number has come to recognise defensive midfielders as well. Celebrated Barcelona midfielder Xavi, however, is a notable exception, as he wore the No.6 during his time at Camp Nou. The No.6 shirt is also commonly worn by a centre-back, such as England legend Bobby Moore. Zinedine Zidane, a playmaking central midfielder, famously wore the No. Number 5 shirtĬentre-backs typically wear the No.5 shirt, with some notable examples including ex-Barcelona captain and one-club man Carles Puyol, Fabio Cannavaro and Franz Beckenbauer. Number 4 shirtĬentral defenders or defensive-minded midfielders are given the No.4, such as Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos and Arsenal legend Patrick Viera. The No.3 shirt is also reserved for a defender, this time for a left-back. Ashley Cole, Paolo Maldini and Roberto Carlos are notable examples. Gary Neville wore the shirt during his long career at Old Trafford with Manchester United, along with Cafu and Ivan Cordoba. Number 2 shirtĭefenders – though more specifically, right-backs – usually don the No.2 shirt. Ex-Real Madrid and Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas has famously worn the number, as well as the likes of Oliver Kahn and Gianluigi Buffon. The No.1 shirt is most typically reserved for the first-choice goalkeeper at a club and is almost never given to any outfield player. Check out the latest free bets from UK boomakers.
![soccer field positions by number soccer field positions by number](http://www.clipartbest.com/cliparts/Kij/Ly5/KijLy5p4T.png)
Nevertheless, classic shirt numbering and number positions form the basis of the game, and here's what you need to know about each digit's traditional roles and responsibilities in a standard 1-11 system.