ICONIC NUMBERS

THERE ARE SOME PLAYERS WHO ARE SYNONYMOUS WITH THEIR JERSEY NUMBER AND WILL BE FOREVER TIED TO THEM

- By Mark Lemke

NO.10 LIONEL MESSI

The no.10 shirt has a rich history of legendary names attached to it and Messi's (left) is at the top of the list. At 21 he had the number on his back for club and country. It much like him - has been untouchable ever since. The Argentinian embodies what it means to wear the shirt. He would walk around the pitch without a touch of the ball for the first 15 minutes before suddenly demanding the ball in his own half, dribbling through three players, playing a 1-2 with a teammate, and slotting it home with the utmost precision. This is what every no.10 strives to be, a source of magic. There is however, only one Messi.

DIEGO MARADONA

If there is a player who can rival the magical moments of Messi, it is his predecessor, Diego Maradona. His brace against England in the 1986 World Cup quarterfinals has been widely regarded as the best individual performance ever. His first goal coined "the goal of the century" where he dribbled through the entire England team to score. His second was the infamous "hand of god". It may not have been the cleanest moment, but he made it happen. He spent most of his club career at Napoli and his legendary impact on the Italian side, and on football overall, saw them retire the no.10 in 2000.

PELÉ