The 9 most iconic numbers in football history

Sergio Ramos scores the equalizer for Real Madrid 

Football is a game of numbers. The goals are tallied by numbers, the player kits are named with numbers, the formation of a team is represented using numbers, 3 points for a win and 1 for a draw and there are many more examples of the usage of numbers in the game.In this game of numbers, there are many figures that have gone down in history books or gained immense fame or is of great importance due to certain factors. Here are 9 Iconic numbers in the beautiful game that many of us crazy fans will remember for years to come.

#1 92:48 Ramos goal against Atletico Madrid

Sergio Ramos scores the equalizer for Real Madrid

On 24 May 2014, Atletico Madrid were playing their first Champions League final after thirty years and they were aiming to do a double after winning the La Liga a few weeks before the final.

Diego Simeone’s men were defensively sound and frustrated their cross town rivals throughout the game and in the 36th minute of the game, Atletico Madrid took the lead through a Diego Godin header.

Real Madrid pushed hard in the second half to find an equalizer and deny Atletico a chance to win their maiden Champions League title, but Real were unable to find an opening as Atletico Madrid continued to defend in numbers.

The game moved into the added time of the second half and in the 93rd minute of the game Real Madrid were awarded a corner. Luka Modric delivered a brilliant cross into the box and Sergio Ramos connected with his head and finally breached the Atletico defense with the clock reading 92:48.

Ramos’ last minute goal took the game in to extra time. Atletico Madrid players were visibly exhausted during extra time and eventually lost the game 4-1 when they were on course of winning it with just a little over 2 minutes left to play.

#2 96 Victims of the Hillsborough Disaster

A mosaic laid out by Liverpool fans on the 25th Anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster

15th April 1989 was one of the darkest days in the history of the game. It was the semi-final of the FA Cup and it was played between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough Stadium, which was the home ground of Sheffield Wednesday.

Liverpool fans who were more in number were allocated the Leppings Lane Stand, entry to which was only possible via one of seven decrepit turnstiles. This restriction led to dangerous overcrowding outside the ground before kickoff. In an attempt to ease the pressure outside an exit gate was opened, but this opened gate led to two already overcrowded enclosures and due to influx of fans, this resulted in crushing.

Moments after kick off a barrier broke and fans started falling on top of each other and the game was abandoned after just six minutes. Eventually 96 Liverpool supporters lost their life in the horrifying incident. To make matters worse, the chief police officer David Duckenfield claimed that the supporters were responsible for the incident and evidences were fabricated to support the claim.

However, the Hillsborough panel's findings showed police and emergency services had made "strenuous attempts" to deflect the blame for the disaster on to the fans.

More than 160 police statements had been altered - 116 of them to remove or change negative comments about the policing of the match.

The youngest victim of the disaster was John Paul Gilhooley, who was the cousin of Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard.

Every year Liverpool hold a memorial service at Anfield on the day of the disaster to remember those who passed away and the Liverpool fans are often seen holding up a banner on match days saying “Justice for the 96”.

#3 7 Kit number worn by Cristiano Ronaldo, David Beckham and many more

Ronaldo has worn the Number 7 kit an Manchester United and Real Madrid

The number 7 is one of the most iconic and most recognizable kit numbers in football history and today the first person that crosses our mind upon hearing the name that of Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Portuguese has created a brand for himself which is labeled as “CR7”. Ronaldo was given the iconic number by Sir Alex Ferguson when he moved to Manchester United and he lived up to the legacy of the number which he donned.

Prior to Ronaldo other players like David Beckham, Eric Cantona and George Best have immortalized the number in Manchester United folklore.

The bearer of the iconic number usually holds high stature in many other clubs as well. For example the number seven was donned by players like Kenny Dalglish and Luis Suarez for Liverpool and Franck Ribery is the current owner of the number 7 kit at Bayern Munich.

#4 10 Kit number worn by Lionel Messi, Diego Maradona and many more

Pele wore Number 10 for both club and country

If the number seven was immortalized by many greats of the game, then the number 10 needs better adjectives to describe it.

This iconic squad number was worn by few of the greatest football players ever and arguably the greatest of their individual eras and interestingly many of these famous players who wore the number are South Americans.

Brazil’s world Cup winning player Pele wore the number 10 during his playing days and his fellow South American as well as his biggest challenge to the throne for the greatest football player, Diego Maradona, also wore the number 10. In fact the Argentinians considered the number 10 so sacred that they retired the number in his honour, but FIFA rules meant that countries had to allot their players kit numbers between 1and 23 for International tournament and eventually the jersey now resides with none other than Lionel Messi.

Messi is also the current bearer of the Number 10 kit at Barcelona, but before he received it, it was Ronaldinho who wore it for the Catalans.

#5 91 Most goals in a calendar year

Lionel Messi set the record for most goals in a calendar year by scoring 91 goals in 2012

Lionel Messi is the holder of many footballing records, but there is one record of his that has gained him immense accolades because of the sheer difficulty in doing it.

Back in 1972, Germany’s Gerd Muller set the World record for the most goals in a calendar year by scoring 85 in a year and bettering the record sent by Ferenc Deak in 1946 by 19 goals.

It was expected assumed that Muller’s record would be extremely difficult to break, but then Messi came along. In 2012, the little Argentine bettered Muller’s thirty year old record by six goals. He scored 79 goals for Barcelona which also bettered the 72 scored by Muller for Bayern Munich.

It will be surprising if someone breaks Messi’s record as his best match Cristiano Ronaldo has only managed to score a maximum of 69 goals in a calendar year.

#6 14 Ajaxs special kit number

Johan Cruyff played an important role in changing the way football was played

Johan Cruyff is one of the most renowned personalities in football and the Dutch ace set high standards as a player and as a manager.

Cruyff started his career with Dutch giants Ajax and played for their first team between 1964 and 1973, after which he moved to Barcelona.

The 68-year old is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in football history and has won three Ballon d’Or awards and that too in the space of four years.

His biggest contribution to football has to be the role he played in pioneering the Dutch concept of ‘Total Football’.

Cruyff was such an influential figure in Dutch football and Ajax’s history that Ajax decided to retire his number 14 kit in his honour at the end of the 2007/08 season. Cruyff though laughed at the idea and suggested that the number should be awarded to the best player in the team.

After Cruyff left Ajax the number 14 kit was donned by players like Frank Rijkaard, Marco van Basten, Thomas Vermaelen and Maxwell, but it has been unoccupied since Ajax decided to retire it.

#7 1,311 Edwin van der Sars record for most minutes without conceding a league goal

Edwin van der Sar is one of the most notable names in Manchester United’s long line of quality goalkeepers

Edwin van der Sar is yet another notable player who rose to fame after playing for Ajax at a very young age. The Dutchman spent nine years in the Dutch capital and won several honours before moving to Juventus.

Van der Sar enjoyed two good seasons at Juventus, but he left Italy in 2001 to join newly promoted English club Fulham, because he didn’t want to play second fiddle to Gianluigi Buffon. A player of Van der Sar’s quality gained immense recognition at Fulham and eventually he moved to Premier League giants Manchester United in 2005.

At Man Utd he helped his club set a new club and Premier League record of elven consecutive cleansheets, meaning they had broken the previous record set by Petr Cech and Chelsea. Eventually Van der Sar extended the record to 1302 minutes and in doing so he set the World Record for the longest a keeper had gone unbeaten in a single season. His run ended nine minutes into Manchester United’s next league game as his mistake let Newcastle score, but his record still stands at 1,311 minutes without conceding a league goal.

#8 49 Number of games Arsenals invincibles went unbeaten

Arsenal players celebrate winning the Premier League in 2004

In the penultimate game of the 2002/03 Premier League season, Arsenal defeated Southampton 6-1 to bounce back from a 2-3 defeat against Leeds United and the Gunners followed this up with 4-0 win against Sunderland.

In the very next season they picked up from where they left off and started the season with four straight wins. By the end of the season Arsenal had won 26 of their 38 games and drawn the remaining! Meaning they had gone the entire league season undefeated! For this incredible and rarest of rare feats Arsenal were awarded a unique golden premier league trophy instead of the usual silverware.

The undefeated run didn’t end there. Arsenal started the 2004/05 season with eight wins and a draw in their opening nine games, but in the tenth game of the season, which was against Manchester United at Old Trafford, they succumbed to a defeat following some controversial refereeing.

After the defeat against Manchester United, their unbeaten run ended after 49 games spread across three different seasons.

#9 92 Manchester Uniteds famous Class of 92

Class of 92 is used to refer to Manchester United’s famous academy graduates who made a name for themselves in the Premier League era starting in 1992.

The famous six who were notable among the graduates were Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, David Beckham, Gary Neville, Phil Neville and Nicky Butt. These players would go on to be an integral part of the Manchester United side that rose to fame under the guidance of Sir Alex Ferguson and all six players mentioned above were part of Ferguson’s side that lifted the UEFA Champions League in 1999.

Giggs, Scholes and Gary Neville finished their careers at Man Utd, while Beckham, Phil Neville and Nicky Butt played for other clubs, but are still remembered for their time at Manchester United.

On December 1 2013, a documentary by the name ‘Class of 92’ was released and it was centered on the lives of these six players and their friendship on and off the pitch.

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Edited by Staff Editor