'%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)
Over the years, Manchester United have had their best players donning the number 7 jersey. The legacy that started with George Best, who was arguably one of the best players of his generation. Bryan Robson continued that legacy after Best and was known as the 'Captain Marvel' among the United faithful.
Then came Eric Cantona in the Sir Alex Ferguson era and the flamboyant striker gave that shirt a different dimension. The French man was loved by Manchester United and almost all the youngsters of the 'Class of 92' looked up to him.
After Cantona, David Beckham wore that jersey. The Manchester United academy graduate was one of the best set-piece takers, the world had ever seen. Beckham left for Real Madrid after making that number 7 jersey proud.
Also See : Durand Cup, Durand Cup Schedule, Calcutta Football League
Then came a skinny 17-year-old who right now is one of the best players the world has ever seen, Cristiano Ronaldo. During his stay at Manchester United, Ronaldo was scintillating and it was the time when he got his nickname 'CR7'. Just like Beckham, Ronaldo left Manchester United as a legend.
After the Portuguese's departure, no one at the club has really stepped up and performed like the previous number 7's of Old Trafford and in this slideshow, we take a look at the top 5 players who felt the weight of the number 7 at Manchester United:
Also See : Durand Cup, Durand Cup Schedule, Calcutta Football League
#5 Michael Owen
Michael Owen signed for Manchester United in the 2009/10 season on a free transfer from Newcastle United. It was a very strange decision on United's part to give a striker who was reaching the end of his career the number 7 shirt. Nevertheless, Owen's introduction to Old Trafford was great as he scored the winning goal in the Manchester Derby that ended 4-3.
But he couldn't really manage to emulate his form with Newcastle United at Old Trafford and was more out of the team, than around it. He left Old Trafford after the 2011/12 season having scored 17 goals in 52 appearances for the Red Devils.
#4 Antonio Valencia
After Owen's departure, the number 7 jersey was handed to Antonio Valencia. The right winger was given that jersey on the back of a brilliant previous year where he was awarded the Sir Matt Busby's player of the year award.
He scored 4 goals and assisted 14 and on the back of that brilliant season, Valencia was awarded the number 7 jersey in Sir Alex Ferguson's last season in charge of United.
Valencia only scored one goal in that title-winning season and requested his old number 25 jersey, after only one season of wearing the number 7.
#3 Angel Di Maria
Di Maria joined Manchester United in the 2014/15 season from Real Madrid on the back of a match-winning performance for Los Blancos in the Champions League. Honestly, everyone at Manchester United thought this guy would do justice to the number 7 shirt, but it didn't really work out that way.
His first season donning the number 7 was an average one. He scored 3 goals and gave 10 assists in 27 games. But what hit United was the way the Argentine engineered his move out of Old Trafford the following season. He didn't turn up for preseason and got himself transferred to Paris Saint-Germain.
#2 Memphis Depay
Depay joined Manchester United in the 2015/16 season from PSV. The Dutchman was handed the number 7 straightaway by the then Manchester United manager Louis Van Gaal. Depay arrived at United with the reputation of being full of flair as a left winger. Despite showing flashes of brilliance at Old Trafford, the Dutchman's move never really materialize.
He looked frustrated and jaded for most of his career at Manchester United. Next season, Jose Mourinho arrived and he also didn't fancy the young Dutchman and he was finally sold to Lyon in January of 2017. Since then, he is tearing it up for the French club.
#1 Alexis Sanchez
The current owner of the number 7 at Manchester United, Alexis Sanchez joined Manchester United in a swap deal from Arsenal in the January of 2018. Sanchez arrived at Old Trafford with a reputation of a wworld-classplayer who can score 20 goals a season.
But, it hasn't just worked out that way. His time at the Theater of Dreams has been hit by injuries and bad form. He has scored only 3 goals in the Premier League since joining the former English champions and the Chilean looks set to be another failed number 7 at Manchester United.
