'%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,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Ah, the coveted No. 10, the symbol of excellence. For decades, the Jersey No. 10 has carried the highest honour, a privilege of the highest standards in a game of Football. For years, it has been handed to the best player in the team, the artist, the creator, the hero. Stories of the legendary No. 10s of football have been handed down through the generations – every son has heard his father rave about a genius No. 10.
The inception of the legendary status to the No. 10s is so old that to trace back the first great No. 10 is a cumbersome task. The list is long, sparkly and overflowing with talent. From Pele to Platini, from Zico to Zidane, from Cruyff to Ronaldinho, some amazing players have donned the famous jersey. And how can anyone forget Diego Maradona, gliding through players, skipping over tackles and reaching God-like status?
This season, some famous No. 10s have been handed over to new players. Rashford has picked up the No. 10 jersey at Manchester United, while Ozil has been upgraded to his deserved No. 10 at Arsenal. Even with the commercialization of Football in the modern world, the No. 10s represent the charms and the romanticism of the beautiful game. We take a look at 5 of the best No. 10s in the world right now, who have managed to preserve the charms of the legendary number.
#5 Paolo Dybala
Dybala was handed the famous Jersey No. 10 at Juventus at the start of the 2017/18 season. The jersey had been in possession of famous names like Michel Platini, Michael Laudrup, Roberto Baggio and Alessandro Del Piero. Club legend Del Piero had famously donned the no. 10 from the 94/95 season to the 2011/12 season. Dybala, following in the footsteps of previous greats, has a lot to live up to, but the dashing Argentinian has shown the skills and the capabilities mark his name in the club history in gold.
Starting as the new Juventus No. 10 last season, Dybala was in fabulous form, as he hit 26 goals in 46 appearances in all competitions and helped Juventus lift the Serie A title and the Coppa Italia, both for a third season running.
Dybala is intelligent, quick and has an excellent dribbling ability, and in many ways, his playing style is a lot similar to his countryman Lionel Messi. He is excellent during counter attacks, likes to beat the first man with his silky skills and also is accurate with his passes. He can play anywhere across the front three but likes to play as an inverted winger on the right of the front three.
This season too, even with the arrival of Ronaldo, Dybala should lit up the Serie A with his skills.
#10 Fact –Dybala wore the No. 10 jersey for the first time in his career at Juventus.
#4 Neymar
The Paris Saint-Germain No. 10 is widely considered to be one of the players who would take over the mantle from Messi in the near future, but Neymar is already one of the best players in world football right now.
He joined PSG from Barcelona in the summer of 2017 as the costliest player in the history of football and was handed the No. 10 jersey at his new club – a welcome gift from new teammate Pastore, who had previously worn the shirt for a season. The PSG shirt No. 10 has quite a history of its own, as it was worn by Ibrahimovic, Ronaldinho and Jay-Jay Okocha previously. However, Neymar would have felt no pressure putting on the number, after all, he wears an even heavier No. 10 for his national team, Brazil.
Unfortunately, Neymar’s debut season was marred with an injury picked up at the end of February that saw him miss the rest of the season. But he still managed to score 28 goals in 30 appearances for PSG and won a domestic treble.
This season, Neymar has resumed from where he left off before his injury last season and has already scored 4 goals in 5 appearances for PSG. Back from injury and looking as good as new, Neymar will certainly be looking forward to a stellar season ahead.
#10 Fact – Neymar has worn only two jersey numbers in his career – 10 and 11 – both for club and country.
#3 Eden Hazard
The Belgian maestro is certainly one of the most talented dribblers in the world and wears the jersey no. 10 both for his club Chelsea and his country. Hazard joined Chelsea in the summer of 2012 from Lille and was handed the jersey no. 17, because Juan Mata was the Chelsea No. 10 at that time. After Mata’s transfer to Manchester United, Hazard was handed the jersey No. 10 before the start of the 2014/15 season and has been wearing it with aplomb every since.
Hazard has been an integral part of the Chelsea team that won the Premier League in the 2014/15 and the 2016/17 season and the League Cup in the 2014/15 season, driving the team in attack and destroying opposition defences with his pace and trickery. He has been Chelsea’s best player for a few years now and has also won the FA cup last season. In the summer, he was one of the best players of the FIFA World Cup 2018 and powered Belgium to a third-place finish.
This season, there was a lot of speculation of him moving to Real Madrid, yet nothing materialized. The arrival of Maurizio Sarri also cast some doubts about his effectiveness in the Sarri-ball system, but Hazard has looked just as menacing as ever so far, scoring 2 goals in the 4 games played.
#10 Fact – Before Chelsea, Hazard has donned the No. 10 jersey once, during his final season at Lille.
#2 Luka Modric
When Modric joined Real Madrid from Tottenham before the 2012/13 season, Ozil was wearing the No. 10 and as such, the Croatian had to settle for the jersey No.19. He spent 5 seasons with the same number, as James Rodriguez picked up the number after Ozil. The Columbian left in the summer of 2017 and Real Madrid decided to hand over the jersey to one of their best players.
When Modric put on the shirt no. 10 at Real, he was joining a list of fabulous players like Sneijder, Figo, Seedorf and Michael Laudrup. But the Croatian knew the burdens of the famous football jersey number, he had been wearing it for his country since 2008. With a LM10 of their own now, Real Madrid powered through the Champions League, winning the trophy for a record third consecutive time. With Modric running the show from the middle, Real Madrid also won the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup. Modric won the FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball.
Over the summer, Modric captained Croatia to the final of the FIFA World Cup 2018 in the summer but suffered a heartbreaking defeat to Champions France. However, quite deservedly, he won the FIFA Golden Ball.
This season, with the departure of Zidane and Ronaldo, the onus is on Modric to ensure that Real Madrid do not stumble. After winning the FIFA’s Best Player of the Season Award, Modric is certainly Real Madrid’s most valuable player now.
#10 Fact – Modric has worn the No. 10 jersey once before, during his two seasons at Dinamo Zagreb.
#1 Lionel Messi
There isn’t much to say that hasn’t been said about the name that is synonymous with the Number 10 all around the world. Messi was handed the fabled Number after Ronaldinho’s departure before the start of the 2008/09 season and has been, consistently, the best number 10 in the world of football by many a mile. The trophies he has acquired are countless, however, his lack of silverware with his country Argentina, where he dons the same shirt number, has been the blot in the spot.
Last season, Messi ended with 52 goals from 62 appearances, with 21 assists and won two trophies. He won the European Golden Shoe for a record fifth time. The comparisons with Maradona has long ceased – Messi is in a league of his own. And it is perhaps his own high standards that deprived him of a spot in the final three shortlist of the FIFA’s Best Awards recently declared – a decision that was met with huge outrage.
Messi hardly seems bothered. With the departure of Iniesta, Leo has picked up the armband now, he is the new Barcelona Captain and has already scored 4 goals in 4 games for Barcelona this season. Messi looks set to take the Jersey No. 10 to even higher skies this season, and with the best player in the world leading them now, Barcelona could win everything insights again, this season.
#10 Fact – Messi wore the No. 30 jersey for two seasons in Barcelona at the start of his professional career.
