The most famous numbers in soccer are 10, 9, 7, 14, 23 and 1. Pelé, Maradona and Messi made No. 10 the playmaker's shirt, Johan Cruyff turned 14 into a legend by accident, and David Beckham brought 23 to MLS.
Below, number by number, is what each shirt traditionally means, who made it famous, and which American players (MLS, USMNT and NWSL) wear it today. After the numbers you'll find what a jersey number means on a youth team, the shirts NWSL clubs have retired, and a short FAQ. Every fact links to the club, league or federation that published it.
Number 1: does the goalkeeper always wear it?
Almost always, and in the classic 1 to 11 lineup it is the goalkeeper's number. The exceptions are the fun part. At the 1982 World Cup, Argentina numbered its squad alphabetically, so midfielder Osvaldo Ardiles wore No. 1 and scored in it against Hungary, while first-choice keeper Ubaldo Fillol wore No. 7 (FIFA, May 2026). FIFA adds that going into the 2026 tournament, no goalkeeper had ever scored at a World Cup.
For American fans, the No. 1 to remember is Tony Meola. When MLSsoccer.com picked the best player to wear every number in league history (April 2020), Meola got No. 1 in a close call over Kevin Hartman. Our list of the best soccer goalies of all time covers the keepers who made the shirt famous worldwide.
Number 7: why is it a winger's shirt?
In the traditional numbering, 7 is the right forward, the player who stays wide and attacks down the flank. That is how the "U.S. Soccer numbering system" diagram for a 4-3-3 lays it out in Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer's 2025 coaching plan (EPYSA, July 2025), with 11 on the opposite wing.
The shirt scores plenty. FIFA's count before the 2026 World Cup had more than 175 World Cup goals scored in No. 7, fourth among all numbers. In MLS, the league's own all-time pick for No. 7 is David Villa, chosen over Robbie Keane and Josef Martínez in the same MLSsoccer.com ranking.
Number 9: who wears it?
The center forward, whose main job is putting the ball in the net. No. 9 shirts had scored more than 320 World Cup goals going into 2026, the highest total of any number at that point, per FIFA's tally. Mia Hamm wore it for the USWNT, and a FIFA photo caption shows Hamm in No. 9 scoring her penalty in the 1999 World Cup final shootout.
Today Luis Suárez wears 9 on the Inter Miami CF roster, and MLS named Zlatan Ibrahimović its best ever No. 9. Not sure whether a 9 is a striker or a center forward? Our breakdown of center forward vs. striker sorts it out.
Number 10: how did it become the most famous number in soccer?
Pelé, and a bit of luck. According to FIFA, Brazil forgot to send its squad numbers for the 1958 World Cup, so they were handed out at random and Pelé ended up with No. 10 (FIFA, Oct. 2020).
Diego Maradona made it sacred in Naples. After he led Napoli to Serie A titles in 1987 and 1990, the club officially retired the No. 10 shirt (FIFA Annual Report 2020). Argentina's 1982 alphabetical numbering made one exception, and it was for him: he got his preferred 10, per FIFA's shirt-number article.
In American soccer the 10 is on some very big backs. Lionel Messi wears it at Inter Miami CF, Christian Pulisic is listed at No. 10 on his U.S. Soccer player profile, and Marta has it at the Orlando Pride, where she leads the club in all-time goals and appearances.
MLS's best ever 10, by the league's own ranking, is Landon Donovan. Going into 2026, FIFA counted more than 310 World Cup goals in the No. 10 shirt.
Number 14: what's the story behind Cruyff's shirt?
A teammate lost his jersey. Before a big Ajax game against PSV in 1970, Gerrie Mühren couldn't find his No. 7, so Cruyff handed him his own No. 9 and pulled No. 14 from the basket of spares (FIFA, March 2024). The game went well, and he decided to stick with it. When the Netherlands gave him No. 1 for the 1974 World Cup under alphabetical numbering, he fought the federation until he got 14 back.
Ajax retired the number on his 60th birthday (Ajax), in 2007. Thierry Henry later wore 14 in homage, FIFA notes. MLS rates Henry as its best-ever No. 14 too, picked on sheer quality.
Number 21: who made it famous?
In the US, Andrea Pirlo and Diego Chara. Pirlo, a 2006 World Cup winner with Italy, wore 21 at New York City FC, and the club once marked his birthday with 21 reasons why its No. 21 was great (NYCFC, May 2016).
MLS's ranking gives the shirt to Chara instead, for a decade of hard work in Portland's midfield, ahead of Raúl Díaz Arce and Shalrie Joseph. Twenty-one has no fixed position in the old 1 to 11 system, which is why it tends to belong to whoever makes it famous.
Number 22: does it mean anything?
Not traditionally, since it sits outside the old 1 to 11 lineup. MLS's history list hands it to Stuart Holden, noting that Alexi Lalas and Eric Wynalda only wore it for short spells and that current wearers such as Carles Gil still needed more time in the shirt when the ranking came out.
Number 23: why did David Beckham wear it?
The LA Galaxy's profile lists Beckham at No. 23 from the day the club signed him on Jan. 11, 2007, and he won his first MLS Cup there in 2011. The profile doesn't explain the choice, so we won't guess at it.
At World Cups, 23 only became possible once squads grew. FIFA notes squads went from 22 players to 23 in 2002 and to 26 in 2022, and that Paraguay's Nelson Cuevas scored the first World Cup goal in a No. 23. MLS's all-time pick for 23 isn't Beckham at all: it's defender Eddie Pope.
What do jersey numbers mean on a youth team?
Numbers 1 to 11 traditionally map to positions in an 11v11 lineup. Here is the 4-3-3 version from the EPYSA plan linked above:
| Number | Position in a 4-3-3 |
|---|---|
| 1 | Goalkeeper |
| 2 | Right defender |
| 3 | Left defender |
| 4 and 5 | Center backs |
| 6 | Defensive center midfield |
| 8 | Center midfield |
| 10 | Attacking center midfield |
| 7 | Right forward |
| 11 | Left forward |
| 9 | Center forward |
American youth soccer adds a wrinkle. U.S. Soccer's game formats set a maximum of 4v4 for U7–U8, 7v7 for U9–U10 and 9v9 for U11–U12, with 11v11 from U13. A 9-year-old wearing No. 4 in a 7v7 game is just wearing a 4, because there's no right center back in that shape. The map only lines up with a real position once a player reaches 11v11, so don't read much into a younger kid's number. Our guides to youth soccer positions and 11v11 formations show how the roles fit together.
Which numbers have NWSL clubs retired?
Two so far that we could confirm, and both belong to USWNT stars. Seattle Reign FC retired Megan Rapinoe's No. 15, the first number retired in Reign history (March 2024). San Diego Wave FC retired Alex Morgan's No. 13, making her the first player in club history to receive the honor (June 2025). Both appear in our list of the best female soccer players of all time.
Do players pick numbers for personal reasons?
All the time. When Landon Donovan returned to the Galaxy in 2016, the club's own story explains that he chose 26 for his son's birthday and because it was the first number he wore at Bayer Leverkusen at 17 (LA Galaxy, Sept. 2016). He called it a nice way to close the circle.
FAQ
What is the most famous number in soccer?
No. 10, worn by Pelé, Maradona, Messi and Marta. It usually goes to a team's playmaker.
What number does a striker wear?
Traditionally No. 9, the center forward in the classic 1 to 11 numbering.
Can my kid choose a jersey number in youth soccer?
That depends on your league and club, so ask the coach or registrar before ordering anything printed. Below 11v11, any number works, since the positional meaning doesn't apply yet.
What number did Mia Hamm wear?
No. 9 for the USWNT, including in the 1999 World Cup final.
So which number should your kid want?
The one they'll be proud of. Cruyff grabbed his from a basket of spares, and Pelé got his because of missing paperwork. Those numbers mean something now because of how the two of them played, and most of that kind of work happens on ordinary weeknights, not on game day. If your kid shoots in the yard after school, the Open Goaaal® 3-in-1 Soccer Goal Trainer sends missed shots back, so the time goes on shooting rather than fetching. For more on who plays where, read our guide to soccer defense positions.
