The Legacy of Number 17 in Football
While not as instantly iconic as numbers like 7 or 10, the number 17 shirt has been worn by numerous legendary and influential footballers throughout history, often becoming synonymous with their impact at specific clubs.
Iconic Players Associated with 17
- Ruud van Nistelrooy: The prolific Dutch striker famously wore 17 during his trophy-laden spell at Manchester United (2001-2006), where he established himself as one of Europe's deadliest finishers.
- David Alaba: The versatile Austrian defender/midfielder cemented his world-class status wearing 17 for Bayern Munich, winning numerous domestic and European titles during his decade with the German giants.
- Frank Ribery: Although later associated with 7, the French wizard wore the number 17 during his initial, incredibly successful years at Bayern Munich (2007-2012), terrorizing defenses.
- Emmanuel Petit: Wore 17 for Arsenal, forming a formidable midfield partnership with Patrick Vieira and playing a key role in the club's Double-winning season of 1997-98.
- Antonio Valencia: The powerful Ecuadorian winger later converted to full-back, adopted the number 17 at Manchester United after its retirement following van Nistelrooy's departure and became a long-serving, consistent performer.
- Edin Džeko: Known as "The Diamond," the Bosnian striker wore 17 during his highly successful stint at Manchester City, scoring crucial goals, including pivotal ones in their first Premier League title win in 2012.
- Kevin De Bruyne: The Belgian playmaker initially wore number 17 upon joining Manchester City in 2015 before switching to his favored 10. His impact in that first season was immense.
- Henrikh Mkhitaryan: The Armenian playmaker wore 17 during his spells at clubs like Shakhtar Donetsk, Borussia Dortmund (where he excelled), and Manchester United.
- Nicolò Zaniolo: The Italian midfielder emerged as a superstar wearing number 17 at AS Roma, particularly during their run to the UEFA Europa Conference League final, before injuries hampered him.
- Julien Faubert: Briefly a cult figure for wearing #17 at West Ham United after joining from Real Madrid.
- Maxi Rodríguez: The Argentine winger enjoyed a significant period wearing 17 for Atlético Madrid and Liverpool.
- José Callejón: Reliable winger who wore 17 for SSC Napoli for many seasons.
The number 17 continues to be worn by prominent players today, like João Cancelo and Nani earlier in his career, adding to its legacy as a shirt worn by talents who bring goals, assists, dynamism, and decisive moments.
