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Arguably the most famous jersey in football, the no.10 shirt holds a lot of significance.
Traditionally worn by an attacking midfielder, the no.10 role symbolizes grace, elegance, flair, creativity and goals. Some of the best footballers to have played the game have donned the no.10 jersey.
Modern football has seen the decline of elite attacking midfielders. With football now extremely fast-paced, managers prefer speedy, technical wingers. The likes of Mesut Ozil and James Rodriguez have seen their stocks fall in recent years as a result.
This article looks at the ten greatest players to wear the #10 jersey.
#10 Francesco Totti
A one-club man, Francesco Totti was Roma's Golden Boy and is considered the club's greatest ever player.
Totti made his debut for Roma in 1992, but started making a proper impact during the 1994/95 season. Capable of operating in various forward positions, Totti's creativity, technical ability and elegance on the ball made him a mainstay at Roma for the next two decades.
Il Capitano is the second-highest goalscorer of all time in Serie A. The Italy international also has the most goals and games played for Roma. Totti made 785 appearances in all competitions for Roma, scoring 307 goals and providing 184 assists. He won the Serie A once with the club and was part of the Italy side that won the FIFA World Cup in 2006. Totti retired from football in 2017.
#9 Wayne Rooney
Wayne Rooney was a prodigious footballer destined for greatness from a very young age.
A product of the Everton academy, Rooney's talent was undeniable. A winning goal against Arsenal aged 16 highlighted his ability and foreshadowed his greatness. Subsequent performances for the Toffees saw Manchester United pay £33 million in 2004 to acquire an 18-year-old Rooney, a move which raised plenty of eyebrows due to the finances involved.
The England international proved to be a shrewd acquisition. An aggressive, technically gifted and creative player, Rooney spent 13 seasons with the Old Trafford outfit. He became the club's all-time top goalscorer and the Premier League's second-highest goalscorer of all time.
The 35-year-old left Manchester United in 2017. After appearances for Everton and DC United, Rooney is currently the manager of Championship side Derby County.
#8 Roberto Baggio
Many see Roberto Baggio, famously nicknamed "The Divine Ponytail," as one of the greatest Italian footballers of all time.
Baggio represented multiple Italian clubs during a storied career. An excellent creator, a dead-ball specialist and a capable goalscorer, the Italian made his name at Fiorentina. He later joined Juventus in a controversial move in 1990 for a fee of £11.5 million in 1990.
He made 200 appearances in all competitions for the Old Lady, scoring 115 goals. Baggio enjoyed stints with AC Milan, Bologna, Inter Milan and Brescia later in his career. An incredible player, his trophy cabinet is not an adequate representation of his ability as a footballer. He won the Serie A twice, once with Juventus and once with AC Milan. Baggio also received the Ballon d'Or in 1993.
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#7 Michel Platini
Michel Platini's career in football administration might not have gone according to plan, but on the field, he was one of the best players in the world during his prime.
Like almost all world-class no.10s, Platini was an elegant attacking midfielder with excellent ability on the ball and strong technical skills. Renowned for his passing, Platini spent his entire footballing career representing three clubs. The France international began his career with Nancy before playing for Saint-Etienne and Juventus.
Platini won multiple trophies with Juventus, but his spell with the French national team also deserves applause. He won the Euros in 1984 and despite only featuring in this tournament; he holds the record for the most goals scored, with nine. Platini won the Ballon d'Or three times, in 1983, 1984 and 1985.
#6 Ronaldinho
"When you play with him and see what he does with a ball, nothing surprises me any more. One of these days, he will make the ball talk."
Eidur Gudjohnsen's comments on Ronaldinho provide a clear image of the type of player he was. The Brazil international is well-known for his spell with Barcelona. His performances during prime years ensured that he was adored by all because of the quality of his playing style.
A world-class dribbler, Ronaldinho astounded spectators with his nonchalant style of play, which endeared him to his teammates and his fans.
Ronaldinho made 207 appearances in all competitions for Barcelona, scoring 94 goals. He also played an essential role in the development of Lionel Messi, who would replace Ronaldinho as Barcelona's talisman when the Brazilian left the club in 2008. Ronaldinho retired in 2015 after stints with AC Milan, Flamengo and Atletico Mineiro.
#5 Zinedine Zidane
One of the most successful managers in world football, Zinedine Zidane's playing career wasn't much different from his coaching career.
An elegant attacking midfielder with excellent technique, Zidane started his career with Cannes and made his name at Bordeaux, earning a £3 million move to Juventus in 1996. Here, the France international would become one of the best footballers in the world. His feats in Italy and for the French national team piqued the interest of Real Madrid.
Los Blancos paid an eye-watering fee of nearly £70 million to acquire Zidane in 2001, and the bond between the club and the Frenchman is intact to this day. As manager of Real Madrid, Zidane has won three consecutive Champions League titles and two La Liga titles.
#4 Zico
Zico spent much of his playing career with Brazil, playing for Flamengo across two different spells.
The Brazilian began his career with Flamengo, making 506 appearances in all competitions and scoring 378 goals in his first spell for the club. Good on the ball and clinical in front of the goal, Zico was a crucial part of a dominant Brazil side. However, he was unable to win a trophy at the international level.
Zico retired in 1994, and embarked on a coaching career. The 68-year-old has managed clubs like Fenerbahce, Bunyodkor, CSKA Moscow and Olympiacos. He has also coached national football teams for countries like Japan and Iraq. He is currently the technical director at Kashima Antlers.
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#3 Pele
Regarded by many as the greatest player to have played the game, Pele's legacy in football can only be challenged by a select few.
Like Zico, Pele spent the majority of his playing career in Brazil. A legend for Santos, Pele made 656 appearances in all competitions for the club since his debut in 1956 and scored 643 goals (numbers vary). The Brazilian played predominantly as a striker but was great on the ball as well.
For Brazil, Pele made 92 appearances, scoring 77 goals. He won the FIFA World Cup thrice, in 1958, 1962, and then in 1970. He is the all-time leading goalscorer for Brazil and Santos.
#2 Lionel Messi
One of the greatest players of all time and Barcelona's greatest ever, Lionel Messi, has enjoyed a magnificent career at the top level.
The Argentina international made his debut for Barcelona in 2004, and his talent was evident from the get-go. A world-class dribbler, creator and goalscorer, Messi is multiple players rolled into one. His brilliance has often been the difference between a win for Barcelona and a loss.
Messi has made 774 appearances in all competitions for Barcelona, scoring 668 goals and providing 292 assists. The 33-year-old's Barcelona contract expires in the summer and has been heavily linked to Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain.
#1 Diego Maradona
Comparisons are often made between Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona, with the footballers regarded as Argentina's finest. Both footballers also have a similar playing style.
Maradona is adored and respected in Argentina. Despite being a controversial figure throughout his life, Maradona's talent was out of this world. At club level, the Argentine shined for Italian giant Napoli, while for the Argentinian national team, he was a talisman during his prime.
Like Messi, Maradona was an excellent dribbler with world-class ability on the ball. His unpredictable nature helped him on the field, even though his actions off the field earned him criticism. For Argentina, Maradona played a crucial role as they triumphed in the 1986 FIFA World Cup. Napoli's stadium is named after him.
Diego Maradona passed away after a heart attack in November 2020.
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