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With Lionel Messi abandoning his iconic jersey number 10, following his arrival at PSG, a new era in football commenced in August 2021. The magisterial Argentine has redefined the figure of 10 in sports, donning the sacred number on his back for 13 illustrious years.
In a nostalgic act, Messi opted to wear No.30 for his next two years in Paris, signifying the return of the first-ever symbol he sported as a professional.
Jersey numbers have always portrayed a special meaning in the beautiful game. Top goalkeepers often flaunt the No.1 at their back, while the numbers 6 and 8 are almost exclusively worn by midfield maestros all over the world.
However, there has been a hoard of memorable 'jersey number moments' in football history that have nothing to do with talent.
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Footballers have worn some odd jersey numbers
There have been some strange choices in the department of squad numbers over the years. Aberdeen signed Moroccan striker Hicham Zerouali in 1999 and made him the first player in Scottish history to don the number '0' on his back. After his tragic death in 2004, the club decided to retire the renowned number as a mark of respect.
In the summer of 1998, Inter signed Italian legend Roberto Baggio to bolster their attack. To accommodate 'The Divine Ponytail', Ronaldo was forced to give up jersey number 10 and settle for number 9, leaving the club's original striker, Ivan Zamorano stranded. The Chilean improvised and decided to switch to number 18, with a small plus sign between the two digits. Therefore, on technical grounds, Zamorano remained Inter's number 9 and deservedly so.
With the concept of peculiar jersey numbers on our minds, let's take a look at 5 instances where a club inexplicably granted the celebrated No.10 to an unworthy player:
#5 William Gallas (Arsenal)
Arsenal have a rich history with jersey number 10, assigning the coveted figure to numerous legends of the game. Primordial veterans including Dennis Bergkamp and Alan Smith are fondly associated with the said jersey number at the Emirates. Meanwhile, modern icons like Robin van Persie and Mesut Ozil have worn the number on their backs in recent times.
However, the Gunners experienced a weird period with the said jersey number after allocating it to William Gallas in 2006. With Alexander Hleb occupying Gallas' favored No. 13 on the back, the French defender strangely opted for the number 10. The slot was recently vacated by the legendary Bergkamp following his retirement after 11 glorious years with Arsenal.
Gallas spent a controversial four seasons with the Gunners, appearing 101 times for them in the league. The erratic center-back is widely remembered for his contentiousness rather than his actual contribution to the team. After a fall-out with the Arsenal hierarchy, Gallas completed a free transfer to Tottenham in 2010, ending his tale with the London club and their jersey number 10.
#4 Lassana Diarra (Real Madrid)
Lassana Diarra has turned out for some of the biggest teams in football, yet has never been a star player at any of his destinations. Having impressed for Chelsea and Arsenal, the defensive midfielder played a pivotal role in Portsmouth's fabled FA Cup win in 2008. Diarra was subsequently signed by Real Madrid for a sizeable €20m fee, in the middle of the 2008-09 season.
At the start of his first full season at the Bernabeu, the enigmatic midfielder was assigned jersey number 10 after Wesley Sneijder's departure to Inter in 2009. Despite making a bright start to his Madrid career, Diarra was mostly used as a utility man during his three-and-a-half years with the club. He was eventually sold to Anzhi Makhachkala in 2012, having fallen to the bottom of the pecking order.
Diarra's post-Madrid career has been devoid of any notable achievement, with his shock move to PSG in 2018, being the highlight of this period. The French international was last seen in the Isthmian League, making a grand total of one appearance for Chestnut. A decent rotation option at his peak, Diarra was never worthy of jersey number 10 at Real Madrid.
Also read: 5 new signings to watch out for in La Liga (2021-22)
#3 Andriy Voronin (Liverpool)
After three prolific seasons with Bayer Leverkusen, Andriy Voronin moved to England in 2007 and was straight away handed the jersey number 10 by Liverpool. Rafa Benitez was a fan of the Ukrainian forward, publicly stating his admiration for Voronin in a press conference.
Despite scoring 32 goals in 92 league games for Leverkusen, Voronin could never find his footing in England. The pressure on the elusive jersey number proved too much for the striker. In a recent interview with GOAL, Voronin explained the reasons behind his failure at Anfield, stating:
"I understood almost nothing, my English wasn't good anyway. I also couldn't cope with the weather and the rhythm of the games without a winter break. I was just traveling and playing, which was very exhausting."
After an underwhelming loan spell with Hertha Berlin, Voronin was sold to Dinamo Moscow for a paltry fee of €2m in 2010.
#2 Yossi Benayoun (Chelsea)
Yossi Benayoun established himself as a versatile midfielder during his time at West Ham United and Liverpool, capable of playing on either wing. His remarkable technical skills, earned him a €7m move to Carlo Ancelotti's Chelsea. However, the Israeli playmaker only spent a year and a half at Stamford Bridge.
Inheriting jersey number 10 from the mercurial Joe Cole was never an easy task but Benayoun's time with the Reds had already proved his pedigree. He could only manage an embarrassing total of three goal contributions for Chelsea. After a string of failed loan moves, Benayoun was released by the Blues in 2013.
His stock plummeted drastically following the event and the one-time Europa League winner was thrown into the alleys of obscurity. Having worn the number 10 jersey number on his back, Benayoun retired in 2019 after five years in the Israeli Premier League.
#1 Robinho (Manchester City)
At the top spot is none other than the failed 'wonderkid' Robinho. Manchester City found themselves swimming in a pool of cash after the club were purchased by the Abu Dhabi United Group in 2008. The Cityzens spent no time in flexing their financial muscles, splashing an eye-watering €43m for Real Madrid winger Robinho.
The Brazilian forward had announced himself to the world, making a name for himself with some splendid performances. However, his time in Manchester can be labeled as lackluster at best. Robinho flopped astronomically, scoring just 16 goals in his two seasons at the Etihad Stadium.
In 2010, Robinho was sold to AC Milan for a huge loss. In his initial days as a professional footballer, the talented dribbler exuded some serious potential, earning him the jersey number 10 at both Madrid and City. At 37, Robinho now finds himself without a club amidst a controversial assault case.
Also read: 5 best players to have worn jersey number 30
