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Retiring a player’s jersey number is an ultimate way to honour his contributions to the game and to the football club. It does not happen quite frequently in football. Once a team retires a jersey number, it never issues the same number to any other player, unless the player himself allows it.
Notably, Schalke have retired Raul’s no.7 jersey while Napoli have done the same for Diego Maradona. Some of the other players whose jerseys were retired include Pele, Roberto Baggio, Ferenc Puskas, Paolo Maldini, and Barcelona legend Johan Cruyff.
On that note, let’s take a look at 10 modern-day players whose jersey numbers should be retired:
#10 Jamie Carragher (Liverpool)
Regarded as one of the greatest defenders of Premier League era, Carragher was associated with Liverpool ever since he was 10. He made his senior debut at the age of 18 and went on to play 17 seasons for the club, playing 737 games across all competitions for the Anfield club.
Started as a midfielder, Carragher played at the heart of Liverpool defense for many years. He is a typical old-fashioned centre-back, known for his leadership and commitment. His work-rate, positional awareness, and tackling were simply outstanding.
He started with jersey no.23 and donned it for 17 wonderful years. Carragher led Liverpool to the famous win over AC Milan in the finals of UEFA Champions League 2004/05, and was an undeniably great defender and a reliable team player.
#9 Francesco Totti (Roma)
One of the greatest servants of Italian football, Francesco Totti retired with 786 Roma appearances and 307 goals. He won the Serie A once and Coppa Italia on a couple of occasions, and is Roma’s all-time leading goal scorer.
Starting his career as a no.10, Totti finished as a no.9. He was a tactically versatile player, capable of playing anywhere along the front line, and was a prolific goal scorer and was often praised for his passing range. His work ethic and longevity made him a modern day great.
He wore the no.10 jersey for 20 years. When fans demanded his jersey to be retired, Totti said, “The No10 is like a second skin for me, but everybody should have a chance of wearing it and above all honouring it by achieving the highest possible goals.”
#8 Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus)
The legendary goalkeeper from Italy will celebrate his 40th birthday on January 28th, and is still playing at the highest level for the Italian Champions Juventus. Starting his career at Parma, Buffon moved to Juventus when he was 23.
The Italian international has, so far, made 638 appearances for Juventus. He helped Juventus to 10 Serie A titles and 3 runners-up medals in the UEFA Champions League, and is an outstanding shot-stopper with brilliant reflexes. Consistency and concentration puts him a notch above other world-class goalkeepers.
He has been wearing the no.1 jersey ever since his Juventus debut. Ronaldinho once said - "There have been some very good goalkeepers in my era, but Buffon is there for consistency. Most of the goalkeepers have had times when their form has not been so good, but Buffon has been at such a high level for so long."
#7 Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid)
The 31-year-old is regarded as one of the greatest defenders of all-time. The Real Madrid captain has made 545 appearances for the club so far and has led them to 4 La Liga titles, 2 Copa del Rey titles, 3 FIFA Club World Cup titles, and 3 UEFA Champions League titles.
Ramos is an aggressive defender with a lot of pace and great aerial abilities. Unlike other central defenders, Ramos also scores goals on a consistent basis. He is physically strong and contributes a lot of Real Madrid's attacking play. Notably, he contributes a lot more to the team with his leadership qualities.
Sergio Ramos wears the no.4 jersey at the Santiago Bernabeu, ever since his Real Madrid debut in 2005. He is only 31 and will be looking at a few more years at the highest level, and his achievements certainly deserve a special place in history.
#6 Thierry Henry (Arsenal)
Thierry Henry is regarded as one of the greatest Premier League players of all-time. The Frenchman joined Arsenal when he was 22 and went on to become the club's top goalscorer, making 369 appearances for Arsenal and scoring 226 goals.
In the 2003/04 season, Arsenal regained the Premier League without a single defeat and Henry made them "the Invincibles". He was one of the most unselfish strikers to have played the game, and was brilliant in one-on-ones and could go past defenders at will. He was an outstanding dribbler and possessed thunderous pace.
Jersey no.14 holds a special place in the Gunners history. Lionel Messi once said, “The first day that he came into the dressing room, I did not dare to look him in the face. I knew everything that he had done in England.”
#5 Ryan Giggs (Manchester United)
Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs holds a special place in the history of Premier League football. No player has won more Premier League medals than the Welshman. He has also won four FA Cup titles, three League Cup titles, and two UEFA Champions League titles.
Ever since his debut in 1990, Giggs played 24 seasons for Manchester United and was one of the most respected footballers. Intelligent movement, crossing, and passing were regarded as his greatest attributes. Giggs also holds the record for the most assists in Premier League history (271).
Ryan Giggs played a total of 963 games for Manchester United and scored 168 goals. In 2007, he was awarded a medal of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his outstanding services to football. The no.11 Jersey will never be forgotten at Old Trafford, and in all honesty, should be retired.
#4 Andres Iniesta (Barcelona)
Arguably the greatest playmaker of the 21st century, the Spaniard is one of the crowning jewel of Barcelona football. The Spanish World Cup winner has played 427 La Liga games so far, ever since his senior debut in 2002.
A product of Barcelona’s famous La Masia academy, Iniesta is known for his all-round abilities. His ball control, passing, and vision are his greatest strengths. Pep Guardiola turned him into a world-class midfielder and the 33-year-old has done wonders at Camp Nou.
Iniesta has won 8 La Liga titles, 5 Copa del Rey titles, 4 UEFA Champions League titles, and 3 FIFA Club World Cup titles with the Catalan giants. He started his career with jersey no.34, but has worn the no.8 for the past 11 seasons.
#3 Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
The 5 time Ballon d'Or winner is one of the greatest ever to have played the game. Cristiano Ronaldo has led Real Madrid to 2 La Liga titles, 2 Copa del Rey titles, 3 UEFA Champions League titles, and 3 FIFA Club World Cup titles.
Ronaldo averages more than a goal per game for Real Madrid in his 419 appearances. Started his career on the left-wing, Ronaldo played more centrally at the Santiago Bernabeu, and has ultimately proved his mettle in two of the best leagues in the world.
No.7 in football is always special and Cristiano Ronaldo is no different. He wore the no.7 at Manchester United and Real Madrid, except for the 2009/10 campaign.
Sir Bobby Charlton once said, “Ronaldo does things I have never seen from any other player and it really is marvellous to watch. It takes a great player to grab the bull by the horns and make things happen, but he has done it repeatedly.”
#2 Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Arguably the greatest footballer ever to grace the beautiful game of football. After moving to Camp Nou when he was 14 and making his senior debut at the age of 17, Messi has made a stunning total of 614 appearances for Barcelona so far and has scored 533 goals.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner has led Barcelona to 8 La Liga titles, 5 Copa del Rey titles, 4 UEFA Champions League titles, and 3 FIFA Club World Cup titles. Messi also holds the record for most goals in a calendar year for club and country (91).
Messi is a technically gifted player with phenomenal abilities. He is a prolific goalscorer, known for his quick feet, ball control, pace, and dribbling. The Argentine is a versatile player and can player anywhere on the frontline.
Messi started with the no.30 shirt, but shifted to no.10 at the start of 2008/09 campaign. No.10 will always be remembered for Lionel Messi, even if it not retired.
#1 Xavi Hernandez (Barcelona)
He has made Barcelona what it is today. Many rate his as the best midfielder to ever play the game. Xavi has lifted more trophies than anyone else, ever (25). During his career, he made 767 appearances for Barcelona and scored 85 goals.
Xavi's abilities to exploit spaces, vision, precision passing and exceptional ball control made him a legendary midfielder. He used to control the pace of the game and dictated play better than any footballer in the world. Xavi's passing accuracy throughout his career was close to a stunning 90%.
He gave an altogether new meaning to the No.6 shirt, and position, and dominated the game for over a decade. Sir Alex Ferguson once said,"It wasn't really Messi who was the problem. It was Xavi and Iniesta. They can keep the ball all night long.”
