5 best number 7s in football right now

The fabled number 7 in football is traditionally associated with prolific widemen. However, with the modern revamp of the sport, there are several non-attacking players that don the said jersey number on their back. Along with number 10, '7' is usually associated with one of the better players of the squad, known for their exceptional abilities.

Some of the best number 7s of all time

One of the most marketable footballers in the sport's history, David Beckham is still relevant eight years after his retirement. The English playmaker helped extend the popularity of football across the globe, doing so whilst wearing the number 7 shirt at Manchester United.

Real Madrid legend Raul was another iconic number 7, flaunting the digit on the back of his shirt for a whopping 20 years. Former Bayern stalwart Franck Ribery, who is currently duking it out for Italian minnows Salernitana, has also donned the celebrated number for all but two years of his professional career. Eric Cantona, Luis Figo and George Best are some other names that perfectly fit this bill.

With shirt number 7 exhibiting such a rich history in football, a number of players have since carried on the legacy established by their predecessors. On that note, let's take a look at the 5 best No.7s in the football right now:

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#5 Serge Gnabry (Bayern Munich)

Gnabry has shot to prominence in recent years

Bulldozing his way into fifth place, Serge Gnabry has turned out to be a revelation in the past few years. Arsenal reject Gnabry was snapped up by Bayern Munich just one session after being released by the Gunners. Bought for an initial fee of €8 million, the German sensation is now worth a whopping €70 million.

Primarily a right-winger, Gnabry is equally adept at playing anywhere on the frontline. The 29-time capped Germany international was particularly impressive in the 2019-20 season, playing a vital role in his side's celebrated sextuple win. Subsequently, he was awarded with the aforementioned Ribery's No.7 shirt in 2020.

With multiple loan spells on his resume, Gnabry has had a hard time settling into any one team throughout his career. However, his heroics in the Bundesliga rightfully earned him a bumper transfer to Bayern, where he is a spot-on starter at the time of writing.

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#4 Son Heung-min (Tottenham)

Son has established a formidable partnership with Kane

In the summer of 2015, Tottenham decided to take a punt on a raw Asian talent who had been plying his trade in a promising Bayer Leverkusen side. Fast forward six years, and Spurs' initial investment of €30 million on Son Heung-min now looks like a bargain, considering the beast of player he has transformed into.

Son carried with himself the number 7 shirt as he swapped the Bay Arena for the now-defunct White Hart Lane. At Tottenham, the South Korea international has blossomed into a complete forward, creating and scoring at an extraordinary rate. In six seasons with Spurs, Son has produced a colossal 110 goals and 64 assists to account for his exploits.

He recently signed an improved four-year contract with the club, effectively extending his stay in north London until 2025. With Harry Kane suffering a huge dip according to his standards following a summer of uncertainty about his future, Son has gracefully stepped into the leadership role. Considering his tremendous output, Son is well on track to become a certified legend at Tottenham.

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#3 N'Golo Kante (Chelsea)

Kante won back to back Premier League titles with Leicester and Chelsea

The only non-attacking player to feature on this list, N'Golo Kante is a special talent, irrespective of the digits he puts on his back. Signed by Chelsea in 2016 on the back of a title-winning season with Leicester City for a nominal fee of €35.8 million, Kante has only gone from strength to strength,

Sporting the brightest smile in the sport, the 30-year-old defensive midfielder is also an absolute machine. His unwavering engine allows Kante to play at his topmost level for the whole of 90 minutes, week in and week out.

As Chelsea's designated number 7, Kante has added five pieces of silverware to his trophy cabinet, including the Premier League and the Champions League. Having labored his way through the French relegation scrap, Kante has experienced a massive upturn in his fortunes in recent years. Nevertheless, a man of his talent and ethics fittingly deserves the success he is enjoying.

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#2 Kylian Mbappe (PSG)

Mbappe already has eight goal involvements this season

At the age of 22, French prodigy Kylian Mbappe has already attained what the majority of footballers dream of winning at the pinnacle of their careers. With four Ligue 1 titles and a World Cup to his name, among other accolades, Mbappe has achieved so much in so little time.

The youngster is a bona fide generational talent, possessing the skills of a seasoned veteran. Despite his tender age, Mbappe regularly goes toe to toe with legends of the game like Lionel Messi. The France international famously gave Messi a run for his money in the 2018-19 European Golden Boot race.

Having juggled through a hoard of squad numbers in his youthful career, Mbappe finally settled on No.7 at the beginning of the 2018-19 season. And the prolific forward hasn't looked back ever since, scoring a massive 111 goals in the past three seasons. Brimming with talent, Mbappe has the potential to cement his place among all-time footballing royalties.

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#1 Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)

Ronaldo is synonymous with no. 7 in football

Cristiano Ronaldo has had a lasting impression on football, so much so that his name is now taken in the same breath as that of Pele and Diego Maradona.

Considered to be the best goalscorer of all time, his unfathomable tally of 678 goals in just under 900 games provides this notion a stamp of certification.

The Portuguese talisman has achieved everything there is to accomplish on the individual level in this sport through sheer determination and hard work. And he has done so while wearing the fabled number 7 on his back. Barring his first season at Real Madrid, Ronaldo has always chosen No.7 at every club he has gone to since 2003.

Having recently made a stunning return to Manchester United, he once again opted for his favorite digit with Edinson Cavani happily parting ways with the number. At this point in time, such has been Ronaldo's impact that the number 7 in football is known to be associated with his name and not the other way around.

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