When this young fan asked Man Utd to buy Wayne Rooney, and then got invited to his unveiling

The number 10 is an iconic number within the world of football. It is often worn by creative midfielders who are the playmakers for their team and are a key part of the attack.

However, not every player who wears the number fits into the traditional number 10 role. William Gallas, who played as a defender, wore the 10 shirt at Arsenal in his four years at the club. Sometimes, players don’t wear them because the number isn’t available to them when they join the club. Other times, the player prefers a different number – Johan Cruyff would fit the role of a traditional number 10, but he made the number 14 shirt famous.

In this list, we look at the best players who are associated with wearing the number 10 shirt for most of their career, either with their club or country. For this reason, Cruyff doesn’t make this particular list, although his talents would have won him a place on it.

10Roberto Baggio

Career: 1982–2004

Roberto Baggio starred for a number of Serie A teams when the Italian top flight was considered the best league in the world. His distinctive ponytail hairstyle made him stand out for more than just his abilities on the pitch, but Baggio was memorable enough for his talents on the ball. Many people will always associate the slippery playmaker with missing the decisive penalty for Italy against Brazil in the 1994 World Cup final, but his career was so much more than that. A Ballon d’Or winner in 1993, Baggio won Serie A titles at both Juventus and AC Milan during a glittering 22-year career.

Creative, skilful and a team player, Baggio could dribble past his opponents with ease, create opportunities for his team and score goals. He was excellent at free-kicks, with his precision and accuracy from set-pieces so often resulting in goals for his team.

Roberto Baggio’s Career Stats

Team
Appearances
Goals
Assists

Juventus
200
115
49

Fiorentina
136
55
24

Brescia
101
46
29

AC Milan
67
19
23

Inter Milan
59
17
18

Bologna
33
23
10

Vicenza
8
2
0

Italy
56
27
14

9Wayne Rooney

Career: 2002–2021

Wayne Rooney burst onto the scene in the Premier League with a late winner for Everton against Arsenal in October 2002, just five days before his 17th birthday. He quickly rose to prominence, scoring four goals for England at Euro 2004, before being sold to Manchester United later that year.

At United, Rooney became the all-time leading scorer with 253 goals, winning every available honour at the club. He also held the record for most goals for England, before being overtaken by Harry Kane. A powerful and versatile player, Rooney’s ability to both score and assist – he created 139 goals for his United teammates – made him an integral part of Sir Alex Ferguson’s sides. Later in his career, he showcased his ability to drop deeper and play from a midfield role.

Wayne Rooney in the Premier League

Appearances
491

Goals
208

Assists
103

Goals Per Match
0.42

8Dennis Bergkamp

Career: 1986–2006

Dennis Bergkamp was a product of the famed Ajax academy, and he started his career with the Dutch giants, before moving to Inter Milan in 1993. He struggled to settle in Italy, where the style of play was often defensive. Coming from Ajax, where ‘Total Football’ was adopted, he didn’t fit Inter’s style.

In 1995, Bergkamp joined Arsenal in a £7.5m move. Despite his struggles at Inter, Bergkamp was still regarded as a generational talent. In London, he took a little while to get going – he didn’t score in his first seven games for the club, which led to some media outlets questioning whether he would be a flop. He scored twice against Southampton in his eighth appearance for Arsenal, and never looked back.

Bergkamp excelled as a creator – he possessed impeccable vision, intelligence and a world-class first touch. He was instrumental in Arsenal’s success under Arsene Wenger – scoring 120 goals and assisting 112 in his 11 years with the Gunners

Dennis Bergkamp in the Premier League

Appearances
315

Goals
87

Assists
94

Premier League Champion
1997/98, 2001/02 and 2003/04

7Ronaldinho

Career: 1998–2015

Ronaldinho was one of football’s most entertaining players. He was known for his pace, dribbling ability and dazzling tricks, making him a nightmare for defenders.

The Brazilian joined Barcelona in 2003 following an impressive spell at Paris Saint-Germain. He spent his peak years at the club and got them back to being a contender again following a six-year spell without silverware. In 2005, Barcelona won their first trophy since 1999 when they lifted the La Liga title. They won it again in 2006, along with the Champions League trophy. Ronaldinho was at the heart of Barcelona’s resurgence, regularly scoring and providing goals for the team. He was awarded the Ballon d’Or in 2005 and was the star man at the club, just as Lionel Messi began to emerge in the first-team picture at Barcelona.

Ronaldinho at Barcelona

Appearances
207

Goals
94

Assists
71

Honours
La Liga x2 (2005, 2006), Supercopa de Espana x2 (2005, 2006) and Champions League (2006)

6Zinedine Zidane

Career: 1989–2006

Zinedine Zidane didn’t wear the number 10 shirt during his club career, but he wore it when he represented France. He captivated audiences from across the globe with his playing style, which combined elegance, vision and skill. His first touch was incredible, and he could dictate the pace of the game and create chances for his teammates. He played for some of the biggest clubs in the world, including Juventus and Real Madrid. He moved to the latter in 2001 for a world-record transfer fee.

The effortlessly graceful Frenchman won the Ballon d’Or in 1998, the year he inspired France to World Cup glory, scoring two goals in the final against Brazil. He also scored a famous winner in the 2002 Champions League final against Bayer Leverkusen, as Real Madrid beat the German side 2-1. Zidane was one of the best to ever play the game, and he has continued to win trophies in management, collecting multiple league and Champions League titles with Real Madrid.

Zinedine Zidane’s Career By Numbers

Team
Appearances
Goals
Assists

Real Madrid
227
49
67

Juventus
212
31
50

Bordeaux
179
39
23

Cannes
71
6
N/A

France
108
31
29

5Ferenc Puskas

Career: 1943–1966

Hungarian footballer Ferenc Puskas (1927 – 2006) of Real Madrid leads the team out to play Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, London, 22nd November 1966. (Photo by Robert Stiggins/Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

One of the most clinical strikers to grace the game, Ferenc Puskas formed a sensational partnership with Alfredo Di Stefano at Real Madrid. The pair often tried to outscore each other, including the 1960 European Cup final, which resulted in a 7-3 win over Eintracht Frankfurt. Di Stefano got a hat-trick, but Puskas scored four times. It resulted in a lot of goals throughout his career – Puskas racked up 512 in just 528 games. He didn’t look like your typical footballer – he was stocky and could only shoot with his left foot – but his goals record shows how good that left foot must have been.

He scored so many goals during his playing days that FIFA have an award named after him. Players that score the best goal of the year win the Puskas Award. As well as lifting a glut of major honours at club level, Puskas was part of the Hungary team which finished runners-up at the 1954 World Cup. One of the greats of his generation, Puskas died in 2006, but he will always be remembered as one of the best to ever wear the number 10 shirt.

Ferenc Puskas at Real Madrid

Appearances
262

Goals
242

Honours
La Liga x5 (1961, 1962, 1963, 1964 and 1965), Copa del Generalisimo (1962), European Cup x3 (1959, 1960 and 1966) and Intercontinental Cup (1960)

4Michel Platini

Career: 1972–1987

Michel Platini set the benchmark for French playmakers for the future generations. Zinedine Zidane was inspired by his compatriot, and the two share similar career paths, having captained France and played at Juventus. Platini was a tough player, capable of winning the ball in the air or on the ground. He could pick the perfect pass to unlock any defence, and had an eye for goal too.

France’s skipper scored nine goals in five games at Euro 1984, as Platini inspired his nation to their first-ever international trophy. With Platini at his peak, France also finished third at the 1986 World Cup. Given the country had struggled to qualify for tournaments early in Platini’s international career, this was quite a turnaround. He was the all-time leading scorer for the French national team until his record of 41 goals was beaten by Thierry Henry in 2007.

Michel Platini’s Career Stats

Team
Appearances
Goals
Assists

Juventus
223
104
49

Nancy
182
110
N/A

Saint-Etienne
145
83
N/A

France
72
41
17

3Diego Maradona

Career: 1976–1997

One of football’s more divisive figures, Diego Maradona will be remembered for his remarkable dribbling ability, which could leave defenders looking foolish. After scoring his controversial ‘Hand of God’ goal against England in the 1986 World Cup, he showcased how good he was on the ball just four minutes later. He weaved his way past a thicket of defenders and then the goalkeeper Peter Shilton, as he went on an incredible solo run from his own half to double Argentina’s lead. With the handball incident in the first goal, and the sheer brilliance of his second goal against England, Maradona showed two different sides of his game in a matter of minutes.

He is an icon in both his native Argentina, and Naples, the city he played the majority of his club career in. With Napoli, Maradona won the Serie A title twice, as well as one Coppa Italia, a Supercoppa Italiana and the UEFA Cup too. It took Napoli 33 years to win another league title, which they finally achieved in 2023.

Diego Maradona at Napoli

Appearances
257

Goals
115

Assists
74

Honours
Serie A x2 (1987, 1990), Coppa Italia (1987), UEFA Cup (1989) and Supercoppa Italiana (1990)

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: After leading Napoli to the first two Serie A titles in the club’s entire history, Diego Maradona’s number 10 shirt was retired.

2Lionel Messi

Career: 2004–Present

The debate for years in football has been around who is better between Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. As Ronaldo has worn the number seven shirt throughout most of his career, thankfully, we don’t have to get into that debate here. Messi is one of the most complete footballers ever. He dribbles with the ball as if it’s glued to his feet, his goal record is phenomenal, and his vision and accuracy when passing is up there with the very best. At Barcelona, he was the star player for many years, as they dominated both in Spain and Europe.

Messi has won just about everything there is to win in football – including eight Ballon d’Or awards. His ability as both a playmaker and a goalscorer stands out above most. With 769 goals and 368 assists throughout his career to date, Messi has reached unbelievable heights within football.

Lionel Messi at Barcelona

Appearances
778

Goals
672

Assists
303

Honours
La Liga x10 (2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019), Copa del Rey x7 (2009, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021), Supercopa de Espana x7 (2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2018), Champions League x4 (2006, 2009, 2011, 2015), UEFA Super Cup x3 (2009, 2011, 2015) and FIFA Club World Cup x3 (2009, 2011, 2015).

1Pele

Before the Ronaldo vs Messi debate, it was Pele vs Maradona. Both of these players did wear the number 10 shirt, and Pele has taken first position, with Messi sandwiched in between.

Brazilian football is synonymous with flair and success – this is largely due to Pele. His dribbling ability, creativity and teamwork helped change the game for the better. Pele could score goals from anywhere, and helped his teams to dominate games. He played in an era when tackles were tougher and pitches weren’t up to the standards they are today.

He played at his first World Cup in 1958 at the age of just 17 – six goals in the tournament helped him and his nation to win the trophy for the first time. Four years later, Brazil won it again, although Pele missed the final due to injury. In 1970, he was part of the famous Brazil side which is regarded as one of the best in football history. He won three out of the four World Cups he played in – Brazil had to wait another 24 years before they won their next one, as Pele retired from international football in 1971.