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There are some jersey numbers in football which have significant meaning and a history behind them. When you think of numbers such as the number 8, you are bound to think of the likes of Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard.
When the number 7 comes to mind, undoubtedly one of the first names you think of is Cristiano Ronaldo. Not only did these players make the numbers more prestigious, but they also had to perform at a certain level consistently to be able to wear those numbers with pride.
In this article, we focus on the five greatest players to have donned the number 10 jersey throughout their careers. Some of the greatest footballers of all time have worn the number 10 with pride.
From Dennis Bergkamp to Francesco Totti, numerous elite players would make the list of the best players of their generation, but who narrowly miss out on this list. Let's see who makes it.
#5 Ronaldinho
If a list starts with this man at number five, you know that the rest of the players will be the greatest amongst the greats. Having plied his trade with Barcelona, AC Milan and the Brazilian national team, Ronaldinho Gaucho was a man who transcended the game with the way he enjoyed it.
A samba boy with all the talent in the world and with a smile to cheer up even the opposition, Ronaldinho made millions fall in love with the beautiful game. He played it elegantly, and he approached the sport as an art form.
A two time FIFA World Player of the Year, Ronaldinho was nigh untouchable at his peak and was instrumental in helping Barcelona win their first Champions League in 14 years. He has also won the Serie A, the La Liga, the World Cup, and numerous other accolades in his storied career.
Ronaldinho's game extends way beyond his numbers and awards, however. He played football in the most simple yet elegant way, and he mesmerised millions with a few tricks and the most popular smile in the game's history. The only reason he ranks lower on this list is that his peak did not last for as long as the others on this list.
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#4 Zinedine Zidane
One of the most recognisable figures in the sport even today, an argument can be made that Zinedine Zidane is quite simply the greatest midfielder that ever played the game. An absolute force of nature, the former French captain was unstoppable on his day.
Zidane was an elite playmaker who was known for his technical ability, elegance, ball control, and vision, along with the occasional big goal here and there.
Zidane has won everything there is to win - a World Cup, Champions League, the Euros, domestic titles in different countries, so and so forth. A glance at his career achievements will leave the mind flabbergasted, for there is nothing that Zidane has not done. He moved to Real Madrid for a world-record fee at the time of €77.5 million in 2001, an amount that was unimaginable at the time.
Zidane scored one of the best goals in Champions League history with his rocket volley in the final against Bayer Leverkusen, and he delivered one of the best individual performances by a player ever when France faced Brazil in the World Cup quarter-finals in 2006.
With a sending off in the World Cup final being the only blemish in Zidane's career, the former Juventus player left defences crying and fans in elation whenever he played. One of the greatest to wear the number 10, and simply one of the best to ever kick a ball.
#3 Diego Maradona
Diego Maradona's mastery on a football pitch was almost unbelievable - unless you saw him, you would not believe what he did was real. Fans at the time often said that Maradona had the football stuck to his shoe with the way he dribbled and glided past defences with ease.
One of the most controversial figures in the history of the game, Maradona was the first player in ages who made fans question whether Pele's legacy was finally in trouble. A precocious talent, Maradona was given the nickname "El Pibe de Oro" (The Golden Boy), and his leadership and talent made him as important a leader as he was a formidable opponent.
Due to his small stature, Maradona's low centre of gravity helped him manoeuvre past players with ease. His other-worldly dribbling combined with his vision, sprinting, and finishing, made him a freak of nature who made football look easy.
Maradona is almost single-handedly credited for winning the 1986 World Cup for Argentina. Against England in the quarter-finals, Maradona made history twice. He scored the controversial "Hand of God" goal, wherein he guided the ball into England's net with his hand, and then he scored the "Goal of the Century", where he dribbled for 60 metres and cut past five English players before slotting the ball home.
There are too many superlatives to describe Diego Maradona, and he is one of the few in the game who deserve to be called the G.O.A.T - the greatest of all time.
#2 Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi is one of the two footballers who has defined the modern era of the game. Winning four Champions League's, a joint-record five Ballon d'Or's, Messi has a list of accolades to his name which would fill an entire document. The Barcelona captain is ever-present in the discussion of being the greatest human to ever kick a football.
Watching Messi play football is a gift to humankind. The little magician makes the game look more beautiful and simple than any player who came before him. The Argentine captain is the best dribbler in the world, the best finisher in the world, one of the top three playmakers, and the best free-kick taker in the world. On the offensive end, Messi might be the most complete player of all time.
Ever since he made his debut in 2004, Messi had rewritten the record books. Winning a club-record 34 trophies with FC Barcelona, Messi has also won a record 6 European Golden Boots. He holds the record for most goals scored in a calendar year (91), is the second leading goalscorer in the history of the Champions League, and the list goes on and on. Staying at the top of the game for over a decade, Messi's consistency and longevity defy belief.
The only thing preventing Messi from finishing first on this is his lack of an international trophy with Argentina. Messi's inability to win something with his national team is the only blemish on his career; a career the likes of which we may never see again.
#1 Pele
There are a lot of factors which make Pele's argument to be the number one on this list the strongest. According to the IFFHS, Pelé is the most successful domestic league goal-scorer in football history scoring 650 goals in 694 league matches, and in total 1281 goals in 1363 games, which included unofficial friendlies and is a Guinness World Record.
Pele is the only player in the history of the game to have won three World Cups, a record which may never be broken in the modern era. Pele is also known for connecting the phrase, "the beautiful game" with football, due to his playing style and his prowess at the pitch on his peak.
At his peak, Pele's popularity was such that his mere presence was enough to fill out stadiums, and as a player, he was an unstoppable freak of nature who could rip any defence into shreds.
Averaging almost a goal per game throughout his career, Pelé was adept at striking the ball with either foot in addition to anticipating his opponents' movements on the field. Although he primarily played as a striker, he could also drop deep and take on a playmaking role, providing assists with his vision and passing ability, and he would also use his dribbling skills to go past opponents.
Pele has numerous records to his name, but the reason he ranks the highest on most such lists is his legacy. Pele made football the global sport we know it as today, and his contribution to connecting the game with the masses will remain unparalleled.
Dutch star Johan Cruyff stated; "Pelé was the only footballer who surpassed the boundaries of logic", while Ferenc Puskas said, "The greatest player in history was Di Stéfano. I refuse to classify Pelé as a player. He was above that."
Even though Lionel Messi has individually performed at the highest level with consistency that rivals that of Pele's, no player will be ever able to match his legacy and his international resume. As such, Pele is a deserving first position on this list.
Honourable mentions -
Michel Platini
Zico
Francesco Totti
Lothar Matthaus
