The number 4 jersey is one of the most famous positions for some soccer players.
Throughout the history of soccer, some soccer players have worn this jersey number and shown legendary skills – and this is why these players haven’t been forgotten to date.
The good thing about these players is that not only did they show their legendary skills but as well, they inspired the younger generation.
Most younger generation soccer players look up to these number 4 players and follow their path to greatness.
Soccer players who wear the number 4 jersey are mostly center-backs. Their main role is to protect and defend the ball from getting far away as possible.
Let’s take a look at the 10 best number 4 players of all time.
Sergio Ramos
Sergio Ramos didn’t originally start out wearing jersey number 4, he went through his journey.
He started his journey by playing for Sevilla Atletico in 2003 where he served them for 2 years before hitting it big with Real Madrid in 2005.
He moved to Real Madrid and went on to win honor titles like La Liga and UEFA Champions League.
It is with this club Ramos wore the number 4 jersey, no wonder his greatness doubled because now, he plays for PSG while retaining the number 4 jersey. He’s also among soccer players with the most red cards in history.
Ramos joined Paris Saint – Germain in 2021 on a free transfer after the legendary CR7 left. The legendary soccer player has the title of La Liga’s Best Defender to his name.
Cesc Fabregas
Considered among the 10 best number 4 players of all time is Cesc Fabregas.
The Spanish central midfielder is one of the finest to have graced the game.
During his playing career, he played for renowned teams like Arsenal, Barcelona, and Chelsea. This team brought peak and limelight into his career.
Arsenal signed him in 2003 and there he played for the team for 8 years winning the FA Cup in 2005.
Displayed his skills to the team Barcelona where he transferred to in 2011.
There, he won numerous titles including FIFA Club World Cup, UEFA Super Cup, Copa del Rey, La Liga, and Spanish Super Cups before he moved to join Chelsea in 2014 where he bagged the League Cup.
Virgil Van Dijk
This center-back soccer player currently plays for the Premier League club Liverpool. He is renowned for his leadership skills, defense skills, strength, and versatility.
Many do not know but Virgil Van Dijk started his soccer career with the team Groningen where he played for 2 years.
His prowess as an excellent soccer player was seen and he was signed by Celtic in 2013. The Celtic team gave rise and recognition to the Dutch defender because he was an important part of the team.
In 2015, he joined Southampton and played for the team for 3 years before Liverpool bought him for a whooping £75M.
With Liverpool, his rise to stardom increased as he won honors like UEFA Champions League, FIFA World Cup, and UEFA Super Cup many times.
Pep Guardiola
One of the best things about Guardiola is how he carries the ball with his heart and how he makes accurate passes with skill and tactics.
He is one of the finest 10 best number 4 players of all time to have embraced the history of soccer.
Guardiola started his playing career with Barcelona, he spent 13 years with the team where he scored 11 goals in 382 games.
He calls himself a “slow midfielder” because he is a versatile soccer player with no shots and no dribbling.
He is known among the Barcelona team as a player who created winning chances for his teammates and can aim shots from long distances.
This is the reason why he inspired the younger generation of soccer players. He holds the honors of winning the La Liga, Premier League, and Bundesliga.
Rafeal Marquez
The well-known and highly respected Mexican football player proudly wore the number 4 jersey during his time with AS Monaco, FC Barcelona, and the Mexican national team.
He was known for his exceptional defensive skills and played a crucial role in securing numerous victories and championships for his clubs and his country.
His unwavering dedication and talent brought him a multitude of trophies at both the club and international level, all while proudly wearing the iconic number 4 jersey.
Ronald Koeman
Koeman is known for his defending skills. He played as a midfielder as well where he displayed his goal-scoring, accurate shooting, and distant shooting skills.
For this reason, he is regarded as one of the best attacking center-backs of all time.
He began his career at Groningen before moving to join Ajax in 1983 where the team won the Eredivisie in 1984.”
All is fair in love and football” as the player joined Ajax’s rival, PSV in 1986 to do better and won three Eredivisie and the European Cup as well.
Later in 1989, he moved to Barcelona, where he joined Johan Cruyff’s “Dream Team” and helped the team in winning European Cup, Champions League, and La Liga titles four consecutive times.
Claude Makélélé
The rise of this all-time number 4 jersey player started with the team Chelsea.
He joined the team in 2000 but before then, he had played for teams like Marseille, Celta De Vigo, and Real Madrid.
During his servitude at Real Madrid, he won honor titles as well as UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, and La Liga.
He left Real Madrid in 2003 to join the Blues, Chelsea where he wore jersey number 4.
With Makélélé, good things come to an end to give rise to the best things. The French soccer player created a name for himself as the best midfielder for Chelsea.
In 2008, he joined PSG to continue displaying his defending and attacking.
Patrick Vieira
Patrick Vieira is widely regarded as one of the best midfielders who has graced the game with prowess.
Arsenal’s ever greatest player started his career with Cannes but only played for 2 years before moving to AC Milan in 1995.
In 1996-2005, he joined Arsenal which was what he needed to peak his career.
With Arsenal, he won the FA Cup and three Premier League titles. 2005, he was ready to join Juventus but had to leave in 2006, because of a match/match-fixing scandal.
In 2006, he moved to Inter Milan where he won four League titles before joining the team, Manchester United.
Steve Bruce
Stephen Roger Bruce is a former center-back who started his playing career at Gillingham as an apprentice from 1979-1984.
In 1984, he was fully trained and skilled enough to join a new team, Norwich City. With Norwich City, he won the League Cup and that peaked his career and there he created a name for himself.
In 1987, he joined Manchester United where he achieved even more success and trophies like Premier League, three FA Cups, one League Cup, and the Europeans Cup Winner’s Cup.
Even with his achievement and successes, he is described as one of the best English players to never play for England’s national team.
Vincent Kompany
The Belgian player is regarded as one of Manchester’s City greatest center-backs.
He began his career by playing for Anderlecht before moving to Hamburger SV in 2006. He played for the team for two years before moving to Machester City where he played most of his playing career.
Here, he made achievements for himself and gave himself recognition as one of the best center-backs. He won with the team their first League Title and later won 11 more trophies for Manchester City.
Franz Beckenbauer
Der Kaiser, also known as The Emperor did not wear the number 4 jersey often during his playing career.
However, he was an exceptional midfielder with tactics, dominance, and skills, this is why he earned a spot here. One of the good things about Der Kaiser is that he is believed to have renamed the role of a sweeper (libero).
Beckenbauer played for Bayern Munich for most of his playing career, where he won the Bundesliga, European Cup, FIFA World Cup, and European Football Championship.
To stand on its own, this great midfielder and defender has also won the Ballon d’Or two times which he greatly desired
Other Notable Footballer Who Wears The Number 4 Jersey
- Javier Zanetti
- Samuel Kuffour
- Rafael Marquez
- Rigobert Song
- David Luiz
- Fernando Hierro
- Sulleu Muntari
- Per Mertesacker
- Juan Sebastián Verón
- Steven Gerrard
- Kanu Nwankwo
- Stephen Keshi
- Keisuke Honda