Players who wear the Number 4 jersey are among the most important players in any first team, especially in the midfield. The midfield generals technically dictate the team’s offence and defence capabilities from the midfield.

Today, due to the role of number 5 football players in their respective teams, they are widely celebrated.

Interesting Football takes a look at some best players who have worn the number 4 jersey in football history

Best soccer players to wear number 4 jersey

Cesc Fàbregas

Cesc Fàbregas is one of the best players in world football to have worn the number 4 jersey. Spaniard, in his role, was one of the most outstanding players.

He played for Arsenal, where he was outstanding in the midfield—helping the team to FA Cup and the Community Shield.

He later moved to Barcelona, where he also won the La Liga, Copa del Rey, UEFA Super Cup, and the FIFA Club World Cup.

Sergio Ramos

Sergio Ramos is arguably one of the best defenders of all time. The Spanish are known famously for their role at Real Madrid, where they also captained the team.

Ramos is linked to being one of the best centre-backs, mainly due to his aggressive style of play. He played sixteen seasons for Real Madrid and won four Champions League titles and Club World Cup. He also lifted the Spanish league and Cup.

Real Madrid fans may not forget Sergio Ramos mainly due to his duels in the defence, especially against the team’s rivals like Atletico Madrid and Barcelona.

Virgil van Dijk

Virgil van Dijk is a Dutch defender widely regarded as one of the best in his position due to his leadership and strength. He joined Liverpool from Southampton for a club-record fee for a defender valued around £75m.

His rise to prominence began at Celtic, where he was the core part of the team. He was consistent and was awarded the Celtic Players’ Player of the Year in 2013–14.

Van Dijk has succeeded at Liverpool, winning the Premier League, Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup, FA Cup, and the UEFA Super Cup. The Dutch continue to play at the highest level.

Most Liverpool fans will never forget Van Dijk’s leadership qualities that spearheaded the team’s success from 2018 to 2020

Franz Beckenbauer

Franz Beckenbauer is regarded as one of the best midfielders in football history, primarily due to his leadership abilities and techniques.

He played for some of the biggest football clubs, including Bayern Munich and Hamburger SV.

At Bayern, he won several Bundesliga titles and lifted the European Cup four times. He was also awarded the Ballon d’Or twice.

Franz Beckenbauer won the FIFA World Cup and the European Football Championship internationally.

Pep Guardiola

Some football fans only know Pep Guardiola to be one of the best managers in world football today. But he was also one of the best players during his playing career.

He played as a defensive midfielder, specifically in a deep-lying playmaker’s role. He spent most of his career at Barcelona, winning the European Cup and four successive Spanish league titles.

Patrick Vieira

Patrick Vieira is regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of his generation. He played as a box-to-box midfielder and was outstanding in the role.

He played for AC Milan and was a standout player. He eventually moved to Arsenal and won the Premier League titles, FA cup, and Community Shield. He also played for Inter Milan and Manchester City.

At the international level, Patrick Vieira represented France, winning the FIFA World Cup and the European Championship.

Vincent Kompany

Vincent Kompany is regarded as one of the best centre-backs in the history of the Premier League and a club legend at Manchester City, where he was captain for eight years out of the eleven seasons he spent at the club.

He played for Anderlecht and Hamburger SV in the early stages of his career before moving to the Etihad stadium. He won the Premier League, FA Cup, and Community Shield.

At the international level, Kompany represented the Belgian Men’s National team

Javier Zanetti

Javier Zanetti is one of the best players with dual roles. He played as a fullback and a defensive midfielder. He established himself in the Argentine top flight before moving to Europe, where he joined Inter Milan.

Zanetti became one of the best players in the history of Inter Milan, winning consecutive Italian Serie A titles, the Italian Cup, Champions League, Super Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup.

Ronald Koeman

Ronald Koeman was among the players that could play dual roles (defensive midfielder). He frequently played as a sweeper and has good goal-scoring abilities. He is also known for unique free-kick goals and long-range strikes.

He played for some big names, including Ajax, PSV Eindhoven, FC Barcelona, and Feyenoord.

He won the Dutch league and domestic cup with Ajax before switching to local rivals PSV where he repeated the same feat, but this time, he won the European Cup with his new club.

Koeman moved to Barcelona, where he spent six years at the club, winning the league, domestic cup, European Cup, and Super Cup with the Catalan club.

Claude Makélélé

Claude Makélélé played for some of the biggest teams in Europe, including Real Madrid, Chelsea, and Paris Saint-Germain. He played as a defensive midfielder.

After announcing his arrival on the biggest stage with French team Nantes, He joined European powerhouses Real Madrid after stints at Marseille and Celta de Vigo.

At Real Madrid, he played a significant role and helped the club to lift the La Liga, Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, and Intercontinental Cup.

He left Los Blancos to join Chelsea and established himself as one of the best players in the midfield for the blues. He won the Premier League, FA Cup, and League Cup.