Top 10 great footballers honored with retired jersey numbers

Give Me Sport has compiled a list of 10 footballers who have been honored by having their jersey numbers retired after they hung up their boots.

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10. Francesco Totti

He dedicated his entire 24-year career to playing for AS Roma. When Totti retired, the Italian club decided to retire the number 10 jersey he wore from 1997 to 2017.

9. George Weah

Undeniably the greatest player Liberia has ever had, with 61 international appearances and 22 goals. The country's football association decided to retire the number 14 jersey Weah wore for most of his international career in 2018.

8. Roberto Baggio

Considered one of Italy's greatest players of all time. Due to Baggio's contributions to the smaller club Brescia towards the end of his career, the number 10 jersey was permanently retired in his honor.

7. Franco Baresi

Similar to Baggio, Baresi is a legendary figure in Italian football and one of the most beloved players in AC Milan's history. After spending his entire 20-year career with the club, the number 6 jersey was immediately retired upon his retirement.

6. Bobby Moore

Most remembered as the captain of the England national team when they won their first and only World Cup in 1966. In 2008, 15 years after Moore's sudden death from liver cancer, his number 6 jersey was permanently retired by West Ham United.

5. Paolo Maldini

An excellent partner to Franco Baresi in Milan's defensive line. After Maldini retired in 2009, his number 3 jersey was also permanently retired by Rossoneri.

4. Ferenc Puskas

One of the greatest goal scorers in football history, and Budapest Honved, his hometown club, retired his number 10 jersey in 2000 after he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

3. Johan Cruyff

He won 6 Dutch national championships and 3 consecutive UEFA Champions League titles with Ajax Amsterdam from 1971 to 1973. After Cruyff's death in 2016, Ajax decided to permanently retire the number 14 jersey.

2. Pele

Although Pele played for Santos in his homeland for 18 years before moving to New York Cosmos in 1975, it was the American club that paid tribute to the Brazilian legend by retiring his number 10 jersey permanently.

1. Diego Maradona

Worshipped during his 7 years at Napoli, Maradona's number 10 jersey was permanently retired, and the stadium was renamed after him following his passing in December 2020.