Top 10 greatest football players to wear jersey No. 10

These players have donned one of the most important numbers in the team.

The No. 10 jersey is a symbol of myth and legend, and these guys are the best to wear it. The No. 10 jersey is worn by the team's top player. However, players might wear the No. 10 for their club and a different number for their national team and vice versa.

With the sulky defender out of the way, the number belongs to the most creative and influential player on the field. With the introduction of squads with more than 11 players and the impact of global marketing, the number has gained even more respect.

The No. 10 position these days is more about status than it is about your function on the field. And for these players, their reputation as some of the sport's all-time greats has been summarized:

10. Mesut Ozil

The numbers don't lie. Mesut Ozil was the most prolific playmaker of his time. He thrived in Real Madrid's midfield before moving to the Premier League. Where he was inarguably never supported by enough players of his calibre.

Ozil has worn the No.10 shirt for the majority of his clubs as well as for Germany. When he was consistently awarded German player of the year during Die Mannschaft's golden age. Even at his best, he is a polarising footballer, but there is no disputing that he embodies the shirt number.

9. Juan Roman Riquelme

Juan Roman Riquelme, is one of the most enigmatic footballers of all time. He was a midfield wizard who sparkled in three consecutive seasons at Boca Juniors. Where he's still revered probably even more than the legendary Maradona.

At his finest, Riquelme's close control, ball-carrying, and eye for a pass were unrivalled in Argentine football. Talent hits the target no one else can hit; Genius hits a target no one else can see - and Riquelme was clearly a genius.

8. Francesco Totti

Francesco Totti, arguably the most well-known one-club player in history, always represented the number on his shirt. This man was simply one of many top-tier No. 10s that Italy frequently produces.

And he could very well be the best. Totti's class is unbreakable and his influence is limitless. Many Italians grew up idolising the Roma icon, and it's unbelievable to think how many footballers there will wear the No. 10 just because he looked so good doing it.

7. Michel Platini

Today's youth recognise Michel Platini as the disgraced UEFA president. Though, before his dubious political career, he was one hell of a footballer.

Platini was an exceptional playmaker with a wide passing range and a good eye for set pieces. He had the ability to provide many goals and assists. He won the Ballon d'Or three years in a row in the 1980s. At his best, no one was even close to as good.

6. Dennis Bergkamp

It says a lot that fans rate Dennis Bergkamp on par with their all-time leading scorer. Despite Thierry Henry easily surpassing Bergkamp's goal total at Arsenal.

And Thierry himself referred to Bergkamp as the best player he had ever shared the field with. Few players had the grace of the non-flying Dutchman, whose combination of precise passing and silken ball control mesmerised viewers in the 1990s and the early 2000s. He was a pivotal No. 10 in the Premier League's early years.

5. Ronaldinho

Some folks are more burdened by the crown. Even though he was Barcelona's No. 10 and had a lot of responsibility, Ronaldinho always played with lyrical grace.

The Brazilian was possibly the final great performer in the history of the sport, mesmerising spectators and enthralling defenders with his magnificent samba skills and astonishing end product, which was frequently overlooked in favour of his acrobatics and flicks. Ronnie eventually accepted the number 10 for Brazil, and he excelled at it.

4. Zinedine Zidane

Zinedine Zidane was said to wear No. 5 for Real Madrid since he was only half as good of a player there as he was when he wore No. 10 for France. However, what a player for France.

Zizou's position as one of the most admired playmakers of all time was confirmed by two international trophies and other classic performances throughout his international career. For the club level, it was an unusual choice of number, but there has never been a finer No. 10 in Europe.

3. Diego Maradona

Deadly Diego Maradona was a one-man whirlwind who could burst through defences, bury from dead balls, or find a pass that would split two defences in half.

For an entire generation, he has been the No. 10 shirt. To wear it, the Argentine even insisted that he was left out of the absurd numbering scheme for the national team (the players numbered themselves by alphabetical order, Ossie Ardiles as no.1). One of the original iconic 10s, Maradona served as a standard by which all ensuing attackers measured their own abilities.

2. Pele

The No. 10 in Brazil's 4-2-4 formation was Pele. Perhaps because of the otherworldly striker, everyone who came after wore this number.

The No. 10 is inextricably associated with Pele, who while having a fantastic all-around skill set that would make even modern-day stars blush, has a reputation for being a poacher. Edson Arantes do Nascimento, the only player to have won three World Cups, narrowly edges over Maradona for second place thanks to the route he built with this shirt number.

1. Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi has the maximum number of Ballon d'Or of all time (7) He is considered as the greatest footballer of all time. And while Messi may currently wear No. 30 for Paris Saint-Germain, the Argentine is the reason why so many people have made that decision in the last ten or so years. He performs like a No. 9, No. 10, and No. 11 all at once, making him the most incredibly talented attacker of his generation.