Not many golf equipment have a historical past as wealthy as Manchester United. An iconic stadium, iconic gamers and a shirt quantity that has turn into legendary after being worn by a few of the greatest gamers to have graced the sport, the quantity seven.
Squad numbers have been first worn in 1928 within the skilled sport and have been a mainstay of the sport ever since. Nonetheless up till the Premier League period squad numbers have been largely used to find out the place on the pitch, with quantity seven often reserved for the left or proper wing place.
That is how one of the crucial iconic gamers to have performed at Previous Trafford obtained to put on the shirt. George Greatest. Nonetheless synonymous Greatest is with the quantity seven he really solely wore it 141 video games out of the 470 he performed for United, he really wore the quantity 11 in additional than half of his video games. The rationale why he’s fondly remembered carrying the quantity seven most likely has to do with the 1968 European Cup last win in opposition to Benfica.
I believe it’s honest to say that the long-lasting shirt quantity solely actually took on its mantle when a brand new signing from West Brom got here alongside in 1981. Bryan Robson, often called ‘Captain Marvel’ took the quantity seven shirt from Steve Coppell, and wore it persistently all through his time at United. Robson, a swashbuckling midfielder in his day, is undoubtedly one of many biggest gamers to have performed for the Crimson Devils and is the primary true entry into the good quantity sevens, nonetheless not even Robson might have predicted the affect of his usurper for the quantity.
Squad numbers have been assigned within the 1993/94 season with Robson’s quantity seven being gifted to a Frenchman with chic expertise and an unmatched sense of rightful vanity. Coming into Previous Trafford with a swagger, it’s exhausting to say that any participant has had extra of an affect on the Premier League historical past of United than Eric Cantona.
Coming into the squad late in 1992, the Frenchman modified United’s fortunes within the league and adjusted the entire perspective of the squad, with Paul ince describing the legend: “He simply had that aura and presence. He took accountability away from us. It was like he stated: ‘I’m Eric, and I’m right here to win the title for you’.”
As quantity sevens go, King Eric has obtained to be up there, not only for his brilliance on the pitch but in addition his presence off it too, a shocking participant and a bigger than life, generally controversial character.
The mantle of carrying the long-lasting shirt was then handed to a participant who transcended soccer and have become a worldwide celeb in addition to a world class expertise.
David Beckham picked up the quantity as soon as Teddy Sheringham was introduced into the group, having worn quantity ten initially. Sheringham wished the ten shirt and so Beckham was given the seven shirt as an alternative.
A participant of maximum expertise and probably the greatest free kick takers within the fashionable sport, Beckham went from a former Preston loanee to a world megastar at United, all while carrying the quantity seven shirt. In any dialog of who the best United quantity seven is, Beckham needs to be within the combine. Extraordinarily gifted, a tough employee on and off the pitch, Beckham transcended the game in a approach that few different gamers have, which in the end led to his United departure.
From right here there’s just one place to go. United’s present quantity seven, who initially picked up the shirt in his first stint on the membership in 2003. Cristiano Ronaldo was so good in his first spell that it prompted George Greatest to say: “There have been a number of gamers described as ‘the brand new George Greatest’ over time, however that is the primary time it’s been a praise to me.” Undoubtedly probably the greatest younger gamers on this planet below Sir Alex, Ronaldo has come again to the membership a unique participant but nonetheless lethal in entrance of objective.
There have been many quantity sevens in between Ronaldo’s two spells, Owen, Valencia, Cavani, Sanchez, Di Maria, Memphis Depay, however none can declare to have had an enduring affect carrying the shirt. For me, United wouldn’t have been the group they have been below Sir Alex with out Eric Cantona, he modified United’s fortunes, modified attitudes, added perception to an entire squad, and for that he actually is ‘The King’.
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