10 greatest players to wear the coveted number 10 jersey

Lionel Messi is considered the best player ever to play the beautiful game
Lionel Messi is considered the best player ever to play the beautiful game

#6 Ronaldinho

The Brazilian was a force to reckon with during his Barcelona days
The Brazilian was a force to reckon with during his Barcelona days

"Gaucho" donned many jersey numbers throughout his career, but his standout years came at Barcelona where he sported the iconic number 10. The silky, flashy playmaker was an idol to an entire generation and was also responsible for kick-starting a new era for the Catalans.

He had all the tricks in the box, as he enthralled football lovers with his elasticos and no-look passes. He was FIFA's Player of the Year in 2004 and 2005 and also won the World Cup with Brazil in 2002.

Ronaldinho did not score 30 goals a season or exhibit brilliant work rate throughout his professional career, but the joy that he brought with a ball at his feet made him one of the most loved players of all-time.


#5 Zico

Zico was Brazil's most valuable player in the 70s and 80s
Zico was Brazil's most valuable player in the 70s and 80s

The White Pele as he was lovingly called during his playing career, Zico was one of the best playmakers ever to play football. His vision, coupled with his brilliant finishing made him Brazil's talisman in the late 1970s and early 1980s. During this period, he was considered the best player in the world by football fans and critics.

The Brazil team of the 70s and 80s put on quite a show with their flair and class, and Zico was at the helm of the side playing as a number 10. Zico played in a number 10 position for Brazil and remains one of the best players to have never won the World Cup.


#4 Zinedine Zidane

Zidane was an important figure for France
Zidane was an important figure for France

It's hard to find the right words to describe an enigma like Zinedine Zidane. The Frenchman was as elegant a footballer as one ever saw and was one of the best attacking midfielders of his generation. His pirouettes were a piece of art, while his goal for Real Madrid in the Champions League final against Bayer Leverkusen in 2002 remains one of the best goals ever.

Alfredo Di Stefano once described the former Real Madrid great: "He makes it worthwhile going into the stadium." Such was the aura and elegance of the man who sadly ended his career with a sending off in the 2006 World Cup final against Italy.


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