The strangest squad numbers chosen by players.
Liverpool are on the verge of completing their fourth signing of the summer in the shape of £20m Benfica attacking midfielder Lazar Markovic.
As highly rated as the 20-year-old is the arrival of the Serbian at Anfield will have one odd accompaniment – his squad number.
Markovic’s number of choice on his back is 50, but that is not the weirdest choice ever as shown by this top 10.
10. Zinedine Zidane, Real Madrid – No.5
Although the great Frenchman generally preferred to wear No.10, upon completing his then world record £47m transfer to the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu in 2001 that was already taken by another ‘Galatico’ Luis Figo.
The story goes that the available numbers were presented to Zidane and he picked the No.5 at random.
9. Ronaldinho, AC Milan – No.80
When signing for Milan in 2008 the former FC Barcelona superstar was also keen to wear the No.10, but like Zidane, found it was already taken – this time by Clarence Seedorf.
The Serie A giants said it was disrespectful to ask another player to give up their number and in an unconventional decision Ronaldinho chose 80 – as he was born in 1980.
8. Milan Baros, Liverpool – No.5
Another who wore No.5 now although this time it is perhaps a little stranger that a striker donned the number traditionally worn by a centre-back.
The shirt had been previously worn by Steve Staunton at Anfield, but was handed to Baros upon his signing for the Reds in 2001.
7. William Gallas, Arsenal – No.10
Having previously fallen out with Chelsea over the fact his No.13 shirt was given to Michael Ballack upon signing for the Blues, Gallas then took a iconic number in North London.
Wearing No.10 was an idea of manager Arsene Wenger, who felt it would have been unfair for a striker to wear the shirt that had just been vacated by the legendary Dennis Bergkamp.
6. Asamoah Gyan, Ghana – No.3
Less to do with his preferred number not being available, this forward prefers to wear the No.3 despite the fact it is usually reserved for a defender.
In fact at the recent 2014 World Cup in Brazil not only did Gyan have the No.3 on his back, but also dyed on the right side of his head.
5. Khalid Boulahrouz, Chelsea – No.9
There are not many numbers in football more iconic than the No.9, donned by some of the best strikers the game has ever seen.
Yet upon signing for the West Londoners in 2006, Dutch defender Boulahrouz was given the shirt – despite the fact the No.2 was free.
4. Arouna Kone, Levante – No.2
A little like his fellow striker Gyan, this is a preferred choice of the Ivory Coast international as opposed to a strange decision thrust upon him.
At both Levante and later at Wigan Athletic, Kone wore the No.2 as he simply liked it – although now at Everton he has the more traditional No.9.
3. Ronaldo, AC Milan – No.99
Such a lover of the No.9 as the Brazil legend was that upon his (second) arrival at the San Siro he simply had to have something associated with it.
At the time Filippo Inzaghi had the jersey so instead the forward opted for No.99 – despite jokers claiming it was because of his love of ice-cream.
2. Gianluigi Buffon, Parma – No.88
In 2000 goalkeeper Buffon somewhat bizarrely decided to change from No.1 to No.88 because it looked like four balls and Italian players need balls to succeed.
As stupid as this sounds the current Italy captain then went onto claim he initially wanted No.00, but that was not allowed. Funnily enough.
1. Ivan Zamarano, Inter Milan – No.1+8
Yet the weirdest squad number has to go to a player who was in fact ousted from his usual spot at No.9 by another player in this list in 1997 – Ronaldo.
Unlike their city rivals Milan, Inter were perfectly happy to take the shirt away from Zamarano and as a result the Chilean had 1+8, which of course equals nine. This was allowed and Buffon’s was not.
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