The Guardian Ranks Iconic Football Shirt Numbers as Messi is Omitted
The Guardian has released a special ranking of football players associated with shirt numbers 1 to 50, featuring Cristiano Ronaldo and Diego Maradona while notably omitting Lionel Messi.
The British newspaper The Guardian has published a special project selecting the football player most closely associated with each shirt number from 1 to 50. The list features legendary names in the sport alongside a few surprises, most notably the absence of Lionel Messi, who did not claim any of the 50 numbers.
Cristiano Ronaldo was chosen for the number 7 shirt, which over the years has become an integral part of his CR7 brand. The journey began in 2003 when Alex Ferguson convinced the young Portuguese forward to wear the jersey famously worn by Manchester United legends. Meanwhile, the iconic number 10 went to Diego Maradona, edging out both Messi and Pele, while the Brazilian Ronaldo secured the number 9 spot.
One of the most fascinating stories belongs to Johan Cruyff, who was selected for number 14. The Dutchman's connection with the famous number began almost by chance when a teammate at Ajax could not find his shirt, forcing Cruyff to wear a spare. Phil Foden, chosen for number 47, wears it in memory of his grandfather who passed away at the age of 47, and even has the number tattooed on his body.
Other notable selections include Declan Rice with number 41, which he accidentally received from a kit manager at the West Ham academy and decided to keep, and Mario Balotelli with number 45. The Italian striker chose it early in his career at Inter Milan because four plus five equals nine, the traditional striker's number. Editors noted that the subjective selections illustrate how shirt numbers have transcended mere player identification to become symbols of success and personal history.
