Zinedine Zidane, Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi, and more! This article is about the greatest number 1Os in football history. The best player in a team usually wears number 10. Some of the greatest stars in football history chose this number for themselves. A player who wears the No. 10 jersey is usually an attacking midfielder or a center forward. The list of the greatest number 10s in football history is probably the list of the greatest footballers of all time. Let’s get on to it. Who is the greatest player to wear jersey number 10?
Greatest Number 10s in Football
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We’ve compiled a top-ten list of the greatest number 10s in football history. Who is the greatest player to wear jersey No. 10? Read this article to find the answer to this question. Before we start, let me clarify that we’re not talking about the number 10 role or anything like that over here. We are just talking about the number on the back of the shirt.
Let’s take a look at the careers of these great players.
Honorable Mention
- Eusebio
- Ferenc Puskas
- Michael Laudrup
- Dennis Bergkamp
- Alessandro Del Piero
Roberto Baggio
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Baggio is one of the greatest Italian players of all time and among the greatest number 10s in football history.
Baggio played for seven clubs during his career: Vicenza, Fiorentina, Juventus, AC Milan, Bologna, Inter Milan, and Brescia. The best and most successful spell of his career was at Juventus. He won Serie A, Coppa Italia, and UEFA Cup with the club.
Baggio played a total of 200 matches for Juventus, scoring 115 goals and assisting 47 more. While playing for Juventus, he won the Ballon d’Or in 1993. Baggio is one of only four Italian players to win the award.
At the international level, Roberto Baggio played 56 games for the national team and scored 27 goals. He reached the 1994 World Cup final with Italy, but they lost in the penalty shootout against Brazil and became the runners-up. Baggio missed the final penalty.
Lothar Matthaus
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Lothar Matthaus is one of the greatest German players of all time and one of the greatest football players with the number 10. This number is a little odd for a defensive midfielder—a special number for a special player.
During his career, Lothar Matthaus played for clubs like Borussia Monchengladbach, Bayern Munich, and Inter Milan. He won 13 major trophies with Bayern Munich, including six Bundesliga titles and one UEFA Cup title. Matthaus played for Inter Milan for four years and won Serie A and UEFA Cup with the Italian club. He also became the runner-up of the European Cup with Bayern twice.
At the international level, Lothar Matthaus played 150 matches for the national team and scored 23 goals. He holds the record for the most caps for the Germany national team. Matthaus played twice in the World Cup final (1986 and 1990), winning the trophy on one occasion.
He won the Ballon d’Or in 1990.
Zico
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Throughout the years, the one player that came closest to me was Zico. – Pele
They call him the White Pele. Zico is one of the greatest midfielders of all time and one of the best number 10s in soccer history.
Most of Zico’s football career was spent at Flamengo. Zico is the biggest legend in the history of this club. He scored a total of 508 goals for the Brazilian club and holds the record for most goals scored for Flamengo.
At the international level, Zico played 71 matches for the national team and scored 48 goals. He is the fifth top scorer in the Brazil national team. Zico was one of the best players of the eighties and played with the Brazil national team in two World Cup editions this decade. He never won the World Cup.
Francesco Totti
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Francesco Totti is one of the most prominent figures of Italian football and, of course, one of the greatest number 10s in football history. Il Capitano spent his entire career at Roma. Roma fans love and adore him.
Francesco Totti was a Roma player from 1993 to 2017. He played a total of 786 matches for the capital club, scored 307 goals, and assisted 208 more. He holds the record for the most appearances, most goals, and most assists in the history of Roma. Francesco Totti won the Serie A once and also won the Coppa Italia twice with Roma.
Totti played 619 times in Serie A; only Paolo Maldini and Gianluigi Buffon have a better record than the Roma legend. With 250 goals, Totti is the second top scorer in Serie A history, behind only Silvio Piola. He won the European Golden Boot in the 2006-07 season. Totti is one of only three Italian players to win the award.
At the international level, Francesco Totti recorded 58 caps for the national team and scored 9 goals. He won the 2006 World Cup with Italy.
Ronaldinho
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One of the best Brazilian players of all time and one of the best number 10s in football history. Ronaldinho carried all the beauty of football in his legs. He was a poet and wrote his poems with the ball.
During his football career, Ronaldinho played for clubs such as Flamengo, Gremio, PSG, Barcelona, and AC Milan. The best spell of his career was spent at Barcelona. The Brazilian attacking midfielder was a member of Barcelona for five years (from 2003 to 2008) and won two La Liga titles and one Champions League title with the club.
Ronaldinho played a total of 207 matches for the Spanish club. 94 goals and 70 assists resulted from his efforts in these 207 matches. While playing for Barcelona, Ronaldinho won the Ballon d’Or award in 2005.
At the international level, Ronaldinho made 97 caps for the national team and managed to score 33 goals. He was part of the 2002 World Cup champion squad.
Michel Platini
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Platini is one of the greatest French players of all time and among the greatest number 10s in football history. He’s one of only five players to have won the Ballon d’Or three or more times.
During his football career, Michel Platini played for three clubs: Nancy, Saint-Etienne, and Juventus. The best spell of his career was at Juventus. He played for the Italian club for five years (from 1982 to 1987). Platini has won the Ballon d’Or in three of these five years. He won 7 major trophies with Bianconeri, including two Serie A titles and one European Cup title.
At the international level, Platini played 72 times for the national team and scored 41 goals. He won the 1984 European Championship with France. The number 10 scored 9 goals in this tournament and was his team’s star. He still holds the record for the most goals scored in a single European Championship tournament.
Zinedine Zidane
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Zinedine Zidane is one of the famous football players who wore number 10. Of course, Zizou wore the iconic number 5 at Real Madrid, and his number was 21 at Juventus. But in the France national team, he would wear the shirt number 10.
During his career, Zidane played for Cannes, Bordeaux, Juventus, and Real Madrid. The French midfielder had one of the most glorious and successful careers in football. He won Serie A, La Liga, and Champions League with Juventus and Real Madrid. Zizou won the European Championship and the World Cup with France. He was one of a kind.
Zinedine Zidane played three times in the Champions League final and two times in the World Cup final. He scored one of the most iconic goals in football history in the Champions League final in 2002. His brilliant performance in the 2006 World Cup final and his epic ending by destroying Marco Materazzi were other highlights of his glorious career.
Zidane won the Ballon d’Or in 1998.
Diego Maradona
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He was the god of football. Many consider him the greatest player in history. Diego Maradona was one of the greatest number 10s in football.
The legendary Argentine midfielder played for clubs such as Boca Juniors, Barcelona, and Napoli during his career. The best spell of Maradona’s career was at Napoli. He won the Serie A title twice and the UEFA Cup once with the Italian club. El Diego played a total of 259 matches for Napoli, scored 115 goals, and assisted 68 more. They have retired his number 10 forever.
But the highlight of Diego Maradona’s career was undoubtedly the 1986 World Cup. He displayed the best individual performance in football history in this tournament. Maradona scored two of the most famous goals of all time against England in the quarter-finals. He scored 5 goals and delivered 5 assists in this tournament. Argentina became the champion, thanks to Diego Maradona’s heroic performance.
Pele
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Pele is among the greatest athletes of all time and among the greatest number 10s in football history. The record for the most goals in the history of football, the record for the most hat-tricks, the record for the most World Cup championships, and the record for the youngest player to win the World Cup all belong to Pele.
The Brazilian legend spent most of his career at Santos and scored over a thousand goals for the club during eighteen years (from 1956 to 1974). He is the top scorer in Santos’s history.
Pele played for Brazil in four World Cups. He scored 12 goals in 14 World Cup matches and assisted 8 more. Three goals out of these twelve goals were scored in the final. Pele is the only player who has three World Cup gold medals.
Pele played 92 games for the Brazil national team, scoring 77 goals and assisting 32 more. He is the greatest Brazilian footballer of all time.
Lionel Messi
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The greatest number 10s in football history? Hold a place for Messi!
Lionel Messi needs no introduction. He is probably the most famous footballer ever to step foot on the field. The Argentinian forward is the top scorer in Barcelona’s history and the top scorer in the Argentina national team. Messi holds the record for the most assists in football history.
The King was a Barcelona player for seventeen years (from 2004 to 2021). He played 778 matches for the Spanish Club, scored 672 goals, and assisted 303 more. This is unbelievable!
Messi is the top scorer in La Liga history and the second top scorer in Champions League history. He won 34 major trophies with the Bluegrana, including 10 La Liga and 4 Champions League titles. He holds the record for the most Ballon d’Or and most European Golden Boot. Messi has been La Liga’s top scorer eight times and the Champions League’s top scorer six times.
At the international level, Lionel Messi has played 177 games for the national team so far, scored 104 goals and assisted 56 more. He holds the record for both most appearances and most goals scored for Argentina.
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Conclusion
In conclusion, these players have left an indelible mark on the history of football. They have showcased exceptional skills, mesmerizing the crowd with their talent and abilities. From Roberto Baggio to Lionel Messi, each number 10 has brought their unique style to the game, achieving remarkable success and cementing their place amongst the greatest footballers of all time. To learn more about the football world, visit Zerobertooficial.