Kit Numbers

The Sanchez wrote:Number 12 and 13 are the two most common back up goalkeeper numbers...

In Germany, I can't remember a GK with a 13. I think 23 would more often be seen, especially if you have an NT where you can only call up 23 players.

Schalke's GKs had the numbers 1, 34, 35 and 36 in the last season, BTW

Yeah I've seen a fair share of backup goalkeepers with 20+ numbers.

hey by the way rwo-power

Some more BL examples: Dortmund's GKs have 1, 20 and 33. Bayern have 1, 22, 24 and 32. BMG use 1, 21, and 33; Hannover 1, 14, 18 and 21.

FC Basel in Switzerland for some reason seems have used the number 18 for the 2nd GK for some years now.

(Hiya bandoom )

It used to be the case in Spain (don't know if it still is), that goalkeepers had to be given the 1, 13 and 25 shirts.

At Sevilla right now, Palop is #1, Diego Lopez is #13 and, if he plays, Julian would be #25.

i don't think anyone's mentioned it but in Argentina the number 5 is usually for the dm. and the 8 for the right midfielder. 3 and 6 are for full backs and 7 11 and 9 are for forwards being the 9 the poacher of the team. the 2 and 4 are for the central defenders, and of course the 10 is for the playmaker (enganche)

though in modern football this is very loosely applied.

Also the 10 here is very much related to maradona. When people say "the 10" most of the times they are thinking of maradona.

It may be worth noting that when younger players come through they often have to pick alternative numbers to the one they really want. Sometimes older players do the same to avoid the stigma of the classic numbers or what-have-you...
For example:
Gerrard started with 17 -> 1+7=8 (midfielder)
Balotelli wears 45 ->4+5=9(striker)
Kuyt wore 18 at LFC ->1+8=9(striker)

It's neither here nor there, but it is something I find interesting...

BTW, Kudos to GoonerJay29 for the Pyramid -> WM -> Modern Formation explanation. You beat me to it.

Nirgall wrote:i don't think anyone's mentioned it but in Argentina the number 5 is usually for the dm. and the 8 for the right midfielder. 3 and 6 are for full backs and 7 11 and 9 are for forwards being the 9 the poacher of the team. the 2 and 4 are for the central defenders, and of course the 10 is for the playmaker (enganche)

though in modern football this is very loosely applied.

Also the 10 here is very much related to maradona. When people say "the 10" most of the times they are thinking of maradona.

The numbers thing stems from the way the formation evolved into a back 3 and eventually a back 4. Argentinian (South American) formations did not go through the exact same progression as European formations. Though, they ended up in the same general shape in the end...