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It's one thing to inherit an iconic jersey, it is another thing entirely to make your jersey great. When it comes to rating the jersey numbers that are most respected in the football world, almost all fingers will be pointed at the No 10, 7 and 11 jerseys as these are the ones that are mostly idolized.
However, there are other jersey numbers that do not carry much attention right now but are equally great. It isn't because people idolize them. Rather, it is due to the fact that some legendary players in history have had them on their backs while pulling off their iconic displays.
It would be a 'crime' not to honor these legendary names, considering all they've given to the beautiful game. In line with that, we take a look at the top 5 greatest #8s of all time.
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#5 Juninho Pernambucano
At the start of the list stands Brazilian free-kick specialist Juninho Pernambucano. Many have gone on to identify this player as the greatest set-piece magician of all time. His record of 77 direct free kick goals is yet to be matched by anyone and it will likely remain intact for many more years.
Nevertheless, what Juninho gave to the football world is more than just scoring free-kicks. With the No. 8 jersey on his back, the playmaker ran riot for Olympic Lyon and the Brazilian national team. He arrived at the French club at a time when they had never won Ligue 1 but went on to lead them to seven consecutive triumphs.
He bagged a massive 100 goals and 72 assists from 344 appearances for Lyon during his spell in France, and another 18 goals and 29 assists for Vasco da Gama. The playmaker was rewarded with 40 caps for his national team with a record of six goals to his name
#4 Steven Gerrard
Steven Gerrard is one of the greatest No. 8s in history. What the English international achieved during his 17-year spell with Liverpool is simply unbelievable.
Gerrard was responsible for leading Liverpool to a miraculous UEFA Champions League triumph in 2005. In what is now regarded as 'the miracle of Istanbul', the Reds recovered from three goals down to beat AC Milan on penalties in the UCL final. Gerrard ran the show, scoring the goal that began the revival and winning a vital penalty minutes later.
During his stint at Anfield, the iconic midfielder bagged 186 goals and 143 assists before later joining MLS side LA Galaxy where he bagged five goals and 15 assists in 35 matches. He also had 21 goals from 114 caps for the national team and will be forever remembered as a legend of the game.
#3 Frank Lampard
Chelsea legend Frank Lampard is another player on this list who simply can't be ignored. The Englishman was a huge force to reckon with during his days at Stamford Bridge, living to define what it means to be a box-to-box midfielder.
Lampard came to prominence thanks to his long-range screamers that set the Premier League on fire. He is well-known for placing himself in the right place at the right time, which enabled him to decide the fate of games.
With a whopping 177 goals to his name from 611 appearances, the Blues legend holds the record for the most Premier League goals scored by a midfielder. He finished his career with an unbelievable 305 goals and also claimed several trophies including the Champions League, the Premier League, FA Cup, Carling Cup among others.
#2 Andres Iniesta
The only active player on the list, Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta, redefined the role of a No. 8 during his time at Camp Nou. In fact, none of the players mentioned here mesmerized football fans as much as the diminutive midfielder.
Iniesta turned football into art, playing like a magician in Barcelona's midfield for close to two decades. His dribbling, sharp turning, intelligent runs and space exploitation left opposition teams in awe. Such was his ability to pull off magic with the ball at his feet that he was nicknamed 'The Illusionist'.
If you're looking for a player who has won it all in football, you have to point to this man. Iniesta won the European Championship and the World Cup with Spain, as well as the Champions League, La Liga, Copa Del Rey and every competition Barcelona participated in during his time at Camp Nou.
#1 Lothar Matthaus
We'll conclude the list with German legend Lothar Matthaus. The playmaker is well-known across Europe and his name always surfaces whenever the greatest midfielders in football history are being mentioned.
His timely runs, ball control, vision and acceleration proved to be too much for opposition teams to handle. Mathaus enjoyed a splendid career, winning the World Cup, the European Championship, the Champions League, Bundesliga and a lot more.
The legendary midfielder won the prestigious Ballon d'Or accolade in 1990 and the FIFA Player of the Year award in 1991. He finished his club career with a whopping 201 goals and 60 assists at club level across spells with the likes of Bayern Munich, Borussia Monchengladbach, Inter Milan and New York Red Bulls. He also bagged 23 goals for Germany in 150 appearances.
