'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAYACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABiAAEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABggQAAEEAQQDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEAAgMRBAUSEyEiIzEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQGEQEAAgEFAQAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMEAAUREiGR/9oADAMBAAIRAxEAPwDBbZcPG0PKgnxWyGzMx9+TXWGij11tBsfCVDnls+woiJjzk25HK+WHHw1S7zRTDB2hjXGLLFWSAK9n11//2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
#3 George Best
George Best is one of the most legendary players in the history of football and is considered one of the best to have graced the sport.
Although he donned many different jerseys during his decade-long stint at Old Trafford, the Northern Irishman became synonymous as one of the club's finest number 7s.
Best, who is one of the best players never to have graced a major international tournament like the Euros or the FIFA World Cup, was renowned for his dribbling prowess, two-footedness and his ability to run in behind defenders.
During a glorious club career, most of which he spent at Manchester United, Best won two league titles, two Super Cups as well as an FA Cup and European Champions Club Cup (now called the Champions League).
One of Best's many records includes scoring the most goals for a club in a season as a teenager for Manchester United, a record that has since been emulated by only three players in the ensuing five decades.
#2 Garrincha
Manuel Francisco dos Santos, more commonly known as Garrincha, is arguably one of the finest dribblers of all time.
The right-winger used to blaze down the flanks and bamboozle opposition defenders with his impressive array of tricks and feints. In the absence of a certain Pele, Garrincha played a key role in Brazil's successful title defence in the 1962 FIFA World Cup, where he was also the tournament's leading scorer and Golden Ball winner.
Garrincha, which means 'little bird' in Portuguese, spent the bulk of his club career at Botafogo but became more renowned for his formidable partnership with Pele while playing for Brazil.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo may come up second to Garrincha in terms of ability with the ball at his feet but considering the player's sustained excellence and longevity for almost two decades, he is the undisputed choice for the best number 7 to have graced the beautiful game.
The Portugal captain, who is the only European player to score 100 international goals (only the second player overall to accomplish the feat), has never looked back after receiving the iconic jersey from Manchester United's legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson in 2003.
Except for two seasons (one with Sporting Lisbon and the other for Real Madrid), Ronaldo has always worn the number 7 jersey during his club career and large swathes of his international career.
The all-time top-scorer in Real Madrid and Champions League history, who is one of the best players to have played the game, was renowned for his elaborate series of step-overs and dribbling prowess in the left-flank when he first started out.
As his career progressed, Ronaldo later transitioned to a centre-forward with consummate ease, a move that has yielded rich dividends in terms of goals scored but his goal-creating ability dwindled. He later made a sensational return to Manchester United in the 2021-22 season. That however ended on a sour note as he was released from the team following disagreements with the manager. He joined Saudi club Al-Nassr in December 2022.
