are numbers for specific positions in soccer

Traditionally, the other of the two central midfielders. Football systems and numbering have developed to such an extent that in the 2022 World Cup, most number 7s will be central midfielders (Kevin De Bruyne of Belgium, Rodrigo De Paul of Argentina, Lucas Paquetá of Brazil) or forwards who either play centrally or out wide (Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, Spain’s Álvaro Morata, France’s Antoine Griezmann). However, there are also lots of historical examples of forward players wearing this shirt number. The most iconic number in football? Or does that come a little later in the list? In the United Kingdom, this was traditionally a right-sided midfielder in a 4-4-2 system or a right-winger in a 4-3-3. Centre-backs Stefan De Vrij (Netherlands), Harry Maguire (England) and Andreas Christensen (Denmark) will wear number 6 in Qatar, as will midfielders Yunus Musah (USMNT), Axel Witsel (Belgium) and Joshua Kimmich (Germany). If a team’s centre-back was number 4, the chances are that one of their central midfielders wore number 6, and vice versa. However, in many other countries, especially in Latin America, number 5 was often the more defensive-minded central midfielder, a trend which we can see in many 2022 World Cup squads (Argentina’s Leandro Paredes, Costa Rica’s Celso Borges, Spain’s Sergio Busquets, Brazil’s Casemiro). Think Jan Vertonghen of Belgium, John Stones of England or Johan Vasquez of Mexico. Number 4ĭepending on where you came from, number 4 would either be one of two central defenders in a back four (Virgil van Dijk of the Netherlands, Raphaël Varane of France, Pau Torres of Spain, Marquinhos of Brazil) or a defensive-minded midfielder (England’s Declan Rice, Mexico’s Edson Álvarez, USMNT’s Tyler Adams).įull screen This will surely be Cristiano Ronaldo's last World Cup with Portugal Bernadett Szabo Pool via REUTERS Number 5įor many, number 5 is associated with the other centre-back position. A number of teams at the 2022 World Cup have assigned the number 3 jersey to a centre-back – Diego Godín (Uruguay), Matthijs De Ligt (Netherlands), Eric García (Spain), Walker Zimmerman (USMNT). Switching over to the left-hand side of the field, number 3 would always have been the team’s left-back, a role which has become more and more attacking as time has gone on and tactics have changed. For instance, while right-backs Kyle Walker (England) and Sergiño Dest (USA) will wear the ‘correct’ number in Qatar, centre-backs Antonio Rüdiger of Germany and José María Giménez of Uruguay have also been given the number 2 shirt. This is still often the case nowadays but, as with all of the other numbers on this list, it has become less common. Moving into defence, number 2 would be the starting defender on the right-hand side of defence, particularly in a defensive line of four. Former Netherlands midfielder Edgar Davids gave himself the number 1 jersey when he was player-manager of English lower league club Barnet, while Argentina adopted a policy of assigning shirt numbers alphabetically in the 1978, 19 World Cups, which meant midfielders Beto Alonso and Osvaldo Ardiles and forward Sergio Almirón wore it in those tournaments respectively.įull screen Germany number 1 Manuel Neuer will be hoping to win a second World Cup in Qatar Getty Images Number 2 As you might expect, there have been a few exceptions. There’s not too much to say here, as number 1 has always been traditionally worn by a goalkeeper and still is. What’s going on there? And who gave Gavi Spain’s number 9 jersey? Wait a moment, he’s not a centre-forward.įor those of us of a certain vintage, the numbers from 1 to 11 are associated with certain positions, which stems from the pre-1990s when squad numbers – and names on the back of the shirt – largely didn’t exist. Marcos Acuña of Argentina, also a left-back, has been given the number 8 jersey.

Those of us who feel that way are probably showing our age a little but it’s a feeling that is hard to shake.Įcuador’s Pervis Estupiñan is going to wear number 7? But he’s a left-back. If you’ve taken a look down the squad lists and numbers for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, how many of you have been stopped in your tracks through by a certain player’s number which just feels plain ‘wrong’?

Are numbers for specific positions in soccer