Retired numbers in association football
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Football clubs around the world sometimes retire squad numbers to recognise players' loyal service, or tragic death.
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[edit] Background
This practice, long established in the major North American sports, is a recent development in football since squad numbers were not widely used until the 1990s. Before then, it was typical for players in the starting lineup to be issued numbers 1 to 11 by formation/position on a match-by-match basis, and substitutes to be numbered from 12 upwards, meaning a player might wear different numbers during the season if they were to play in different positions for tactical reasons, or simply not be a regular in the starting lineup.
Retiring a player's number usually occurs after the player has left the team or retired. It honours a player who has meant so much to his club that they retire the shirt number that the player wore during their time there, meaning no other player is permitted to use that number in the future. In some cases, such as Jason Mayélé, Vittorio Mero, Marc-Vivien Foé, Miklós Fehér, Ray Jones, David di Tommaso and Antonio Puerta, numbers have been retired to posthumously honour a player who died in tragic circumstances while still active. Also, Norwegian club Fredrikstad have retired Dagfinn Enerly's number following an on-pitch accident that left Enerly paralyzed.
National teams Argentina and Cameroon have been prevented by FIFA rules dealing with squad numbers for Finals tournaments, from retiring the numbers of Diego Maradona (10) and Marc-Vivien Foé (17) respectively, but in other competitions or friendlies national associations may assign numbers according to criteria of their choosing.
Some clubs dedicate a number to their fans, and do not issue it to any player. The most common number for this practice is 12, from descriptions of the fans as the twelfth man. Clubs and teams reserving number 12 for their supporters include:
- AGF
- Aberdeen FC
- AIK
- Atlético Mineiro
- Austrian national team
- Avaí F.C.
- Bayern Munich
- Bristol Rovers
- Cork City F.C.
- Fenerbahçe
- Ferencváros
- Feyenoord
- Flamengo
- Genoa
- Grimsby Town
- Hammarby
- Lecce
- Lens
- Malmö FF
- OB
- Omonia
- PAOK
- Plymouth Argyle
- Portsmouth
- Scunthorpe United
- Stockport County
- Torino
- Újpest
- Vålerenga
- Zenit Saint Petersburg
- Club de Fútbol Monterrey
- UANL Tigres
- Werder Bremen
Reading reserve the number 13 for their supporters, Panathinaikos reserve this number in honour of Gate 13, the ultras based in the respective gate in home matches. Norwich City also reserve the number 13 shirt for "the fans". Bristol City have allocated number 31 to their fans, while Oldham Athletic reserve the number 40 for their fans.
[edit] Retired numbers
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[edit] Special Cases
| Team | # | Player | Position | Years | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 AC Milan |
3 | Paolo Maldini |
Left fullback | 1984- | The shirt will not be fully retired. Maldini has given consent for his sons to adopt the number 3 shirt if either of them play professionally for the club.[22] |
 América |
10 | Cuauhtémoc Blanco |
Striker | 1992-1997, 1998-2000, 2002-2004, 2005-2007 | The shirt number will be retired only for a period of 5 years, starting on June 2007. However, jersey #10 has been occasionally re-issued for special cases, due to CONMEBOL rules, which state that shirts must be numbered 1-25 in continental club competitions (such as Copa Libertadores, Copa Sudamericana, amongst others).[23] |
 Argentina National Football Team |
10 | Diego Maradona |
midfielder | 1977-1994 | The number 10 had been retired by Asociación del Fútbol Argentino on October 2001, but FIFA would not allow this during World Cup 2002, due to its rules stating that numbering would be from 1 to 23. However, in friendly matches and other competitions the number 10 is still not worn to honour the career and legacy of Diego Maradona. |
 Chelsea F.C. |
25 | Gianfranco Zola |
Forward | 1996-2003 | The club has not officially withdrawn Zola's number 25 shirt from circulation, but no other player has held the squad number since his departure. |
 Dunfermline Athletic |
4 | Norrie McCathie |
Defender | 1996 | The club retired the number after club captain McCathie was found dead in his home on January 8, 1996, as a result of Carbon Monoxide poisoning.[24] At that time, Scottish League clubs used shirt numbered from 1 to 11, so for the remainder of the 1995-96 season, 12 was used instead. However, the number was not retired permanently, and has been re-issued since. |
 Maccabi Tel-Aviv |
12 | Meni Levi |
Defender | During a game between Maccabi Tel-Aviv and Beitar Jerusalem, Levi chest-controlled and kicked the ball, ran back to defend, then collapsed. He returned to his feet, and then collapsed a second time. He was subsequently on a life-support machine, and has since returned home.[25] | |
 Orlando Pirates |
22 | Lesley Manyathela |
Striker | -2003 | The club retired the number 22, after Manyathela died in a car crash in August, 2003. However, Confederation of African Football rules state that shirts must be numbered 1-30 in continental club competitions, so Pirates has been re-issued it in those special cases. |
 Real Oviedo |
10 |  Peter Dubovsky |
Midfielder | 1995-2000 | The Spanish Football League was allowed to retire number 10 just for the 2000-2001 season, as an exception to its rules. At the end of the season, number 10 was re-issued. |
| Sevilla FC |
16 | Antonio Puerta |
Left back, Left winger | 2004-2007 | The shirt has not been fully retired. It was temporarily retired due to Puerta having a cardiac arrest on the first matchday in La Liga 2007-2008 against Getafe. Puerta's son (born shortly after Puerta's death) will be able to adopt the number 16 shirt if he reaches Sevilla's first team.[26] |
 Stabæk |
7 | Christer Basma |
Central defender | 1995-1998 | The club had retired the number to honor his services for the club. However, the retirement was revoked after 2004 season and the number given to Henning Hauger. |
| UANL Tigres |
7 |  Gerónimo Barbadillo |
Midfielder | 1977-1982 | The number is currently retired but has been occasionally re-issued for special cases, due to CONMEBOL rules, which state that shirts must be numbered 1-25 in continental club competitions (such as Copa Libertadores, Copa Sudamericana, amongst others). |
| Universitario de Deportes |
22 | José Luis Carranza |
Midfielder | 1986-2004 | The number is currently retired but has been occasionally re-issued for special cases, due to CONMEBOL rules, which state that shirts must be numbered 1-25 in continental club competitions (such as Copa Libertadores, Copa Sudamericana, amongst others). |
[edit] References
- ^ Fotospecial Begrafenis François Sterchele. Sport. BE. Retrieved on 13 May 2008.
- ^ Vasco honour Romario by retiring number 11 shirt. ESPN Soccernet. Retrieved on 9 September 2006.
- ^ Jeg var rørt. Viborg FF. Retrieved on 1 November 2005.
- ^ Pools retire Maidens' number 25. BBC News. Retrieved on 29 October 2007.
- ^ "City v Arsenal", Match programme, Manchester City v Arsenal, 2006-08-26, pp. 82.
- ^ "Remembering Ray - Number 31", Queens Park Rangers F.C., 2007-08-28. Retrieved on 2007-08-28.
- ^ Utrecht defender probably died of heart attack. Sports Network. Retrieved on 9 September 2006.
- ^ Legends - Franco Baresi. Planet World Cup. Retrieved on 9 September 2006.
- ^ Aldair says arrivederci to Genoa. ATL World Cup Soccer. Retrieved on 9 September 2006.
- ^ L'addio a Federico Pisani. Una delle pagine più tristi della storia neroazzurra. Atalanta BC Website. Retrieved on 9 September 2006.
- ^ Brescia in lutto (Italian). RAI Sport. Retrieved on 9 September 2006.
- ^ Italy 2-0 Russia. Channel 4. Retrieved on 9 September 2006.
- ^ Chievo honour Mayele. BBC News. Retrieved on 9 September 2006.
- ^ Sullo ceduto all'Avellino, buona fortuna Sasà... (Italian). FC Messina official website. Retrieved on 27 January 2007.
- ^ On April 18 2007, AFC Ajax decided to retire the number 14 shirt in honour of Johan Cruijff and in celebration of his 60th birthday
- ^ Utrecht defender honored. Sports Network. Retrieved on 9 September 2006.
- ^ NTB. "FFK freder Enerlys draktnummer", Dagbladet, 10 August 2007. Retrieved on [[2007-08-13]]. (Norwegian)
- ^ A death brings fear to the field. International Herald Tribune. Retrieved on 9 September 2006.
- ^ Galaxy earns tie with Red Bulls. Fox Soccer. Retrieved on 18 October 2007.
- ^ 80-talets sista allsvenska skägg. kffsnack. Retrieved on 25 August 2007.
- ^ Númer Stefáns hjá Norrköping aldrei notað aftur (Icelandic). Vísir.is. Retrieved on 23 October 2007.
- ^ "Maldini shirt waits for 3G", Channel 4, 2007-05-26. Retrieved on 2007-05-26.
- ^ Retira America el 10 del Cuauh como tributo. El Universal.
- ^ NMBF Profile. Norrie McCathie Benevolent Fund. Retrieved on 2007-01-26.
- ^ Levi continues rehab at home. Eternal-Allegiance. Retrieved on 2007-01-26.
- ^ "SDel Nido announces Sevilla will retire number 16", Marca, 2007-09-01. Retrieved on 2007-09-01.
