Number 15 isnโt a very popular number among the elite soccer players. Nonetheless, some soccer icons have graced number 15 during their careers. In this article, weโll be looking at a list of the greatest soccer players who have worn the number 15 jersey.
In early days of soccer, jersey numbers signified the starting 11. Number 1 would be the goalkeeper and number 11 would be the farthest player down the pitch. The substitutes wore the numbers from 12 and above.
It was in the 1954 World Cup that players got specific squad numbers. This meant that the starting 11 did not necessarily have to wear numbers from 1 to 11. And therefore, some important soccer players started wearing number 15.
Some of the number 15 soccer players youโll see in the list are:
- Nemanja Vidic
- Mats Hummels
- Megan Rapinoe
and many more! So letโs get started.
Criteria for Selection in this List
To be considered for inclusion in our list, a player must meet specific criteria that reflect their exceptional contributions to the game while donning the iconic number 15 jersey.
- Consistent level of excellence
- Influence on Position
- Association with Game-Changing Moments
- Legacy and Recognition
- Contribution to Team Success
- Recognition by Peers and Experts
- Cultural Impact
Despite thorough research, we might miss a few important number 15 soccer players. Let us know if we have missed any of your favorites in the comments.
The Best Number 15 Soccer Players
1. Nemanja Vidiฤ
Nemanja Vidiฤ wore number 15 for:
- Manchester United
- Inter Milan
Vidic is considered by the experts to be the best defender in the history of soccer and Premier League. He is one of only four players to win the Premier League Player of the Season award twice, alongside Thierry Henry, Kevin De Bruyne and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Nemanja Vidic was one of those no-nonsense defenders, and so formed a perfect partnership with the ball-playing Rio Ferdinand at the heart of Manchester Unitedโs defense.
โNemanja reminds me of Steve Bruce in the sense he always asks a question of defenders. He wants to know whether they have the courage to put their head in front of his. There is no question he can play, there is not a doubt about it. But he doesnโt mess about in terms of clearing the ball.โ
Sir Alex Ferguson
Vidic left United for Inter Milan in 2014, where he played for 2 more years before retiring from soccer.
Major Accolades
- Won the Premier League Player of the Season twice in 2008โ09 and 2010โ11.
- Was named in the FIFA FIFPro World XI team twice in 2009 and 2011.
- Vidic won five Premier League titles, three Football League Cups, five FA Community Shields, one UEFA Champions League, and one FIFA Club World Cup with Manchester United.
2. Mats Hummels
Mats Hummels has worn the number 15 for:
- Borussia Dortmund
Hummels is regarded as one of the best defenders in the world right now. He is an intelligent player with a strong physical presence as well.
Hummels started his career at the Bayern Munich youth academy. He moved to Borussia Dortmund at the age of 20 in 2008, where he was given the number 15 shirt.
He quickly established himself as the first-choice center back along with the new signing Neven Subotiฤ. They won the Bundesliga title in 2010/11 season, and Hummels was starting to be recognized as one of best defenders in Germany and Europe.
In 2016, Hummels left Dortmund to join his childhood club Bayern Munich. He played for them wearing number 5 until 2019 before moving back to Dortmund.
Major Accolades
- He has been named in the Bundesliga Team of the Season six times, and has also been named in the FIFA World Cup Dream Team in 2014.
- Hummels has won two Bundesliga titles, two DFB-Pokal Cups, and one DFL-Supercup with Borussia Dortmund.
- Heโs the only defender in Bundesliga history to score a goal in 16 consecutive seasons.
3. Daniel Sturridge
Daniel Sturridge wore the number 15 for:
- Bolton Wanderers
- Liverpool FC
- West Bromwich Albion
- Perth Glory
Sturridge had a career full of what-ifs due to his recurring injuries. Despite that, Sturridge has left a lasting legacy through his brilliance on the pitch whenever he got the chance.
Sturridge came through the Manchester City academy. He played for Manchester City for 3 years before moving to Chelsea in 2009, where he had a good spell and announced himself to the soccer world. But his recurring injuries meant that Chelsea were willing to let go of Sturridge in 2013.
โDaniel offers a few of the characteristics I had with Hulk when I was with him in Portoโฆ He is an extremely quick player, and he has technique at pace.โ
Chelsea manager Andrรฉ Villas-Boas in 2011
He moved to Liverpool in the 2013 January transfer window, and started wearing number 15. Sturridge quickly became a fan favourite at Anfield after he scored 7 minutes into his debut against Mansfield Town.
His second game was against the big rivals Manchester United, and he scored again as a substitute. Sturridge became the first Liverpool player since 1974 to score three goals in his first three appearances.
So you can imagine how elated the Anfield crowd was regarding their new number 15.
Sturridge was released by Liverpool in 2019 after a memorable six years at the club.
Major Accolades
- Won the 2018-19 UEFA Champions League with Liverpool.
- Was named in the PFA Team of the Year in 2013-14.
4. Peter Crouch
Peter Crouch wore the number 15 jersey for:
- Liverpool FC
- Tottenham Hotspur
- Burnley FC
Crouchie had the most lovable personality youโll come across in a soccer player. But he wasnโt just good with the talk, he could walk the walk too. A tall and slender forward, Peter Crouch was known for his good first touch and heading ability. He holds the record for the most headed goals in Premier League history with 51 headed goals.
Peter Crouch started his career in 1998 at Tottenhamโs youth academy, though he never played a game for them. After stints across England and Sweden, Crouch arrived at Liverpool in 2005.
His early days at Anfield were filled with doubt and scrutiny as he was unable to score in his first 4 months for the European champions. Despite that, his deft touch of the ball and his ability to link well with other players, made him popular with the Liverpool fans.
He finally broke his goalless streak against Wigan Athletic in December 2005. He would go on to score 22 times for Liverpool in 85 games.
After three years at Liverpool, Crouch joined Portsmouth in 2008, and a year later joined Tottenham Hotspur.
Crouchโs second coming at Tottenham saw him scoring some crucial goals for Spurs. His most crucial came in 2010 against Manchester City in a game dubbed the โยฃ15 million gameโ. Crouch scored the winning header, which meant that Spurs secured a place in Champions League for the next season.
He played for Tottenham for two years before moving to Stoke City in 2011.
Major Accolades
- He won an FA Cup and FA Community Shield with Liverpool.
5. Florent Malouda
Florent Malouda wore the number 15 for:
- Chelsea FC
- Trabzonspor
- Delhi Dynamos FC
- Wadi Degla FC
- FC Differdange 03
- France
Florent Malouda was actually born in Cayenne, French Guiana โ a French region in South America. Despite the distance, Malouda started his soccer career at Chรขteauroux in Paris and chose to play for the French national team. After Chรขteauroux, Malouda had successful spells with Guingamp and Lyon FC.
At Lyon, Malouda started garnering interest from the biggest European clubs like Real Madrid, Liverpool, and Chelsea. In 2007, Malouda joined Chelsea and chose to wear the number 15 shirt.
He quickly made an impact, scoring in his debut against Manchester United in the 2007 FA Community Shield. Although, Chelsea lost the match in penalties, Malouda was praised by the media for his performance. Florent Malouda consistently contributed with goals and assists throughout his stay at Chelsea.
Towards the end of his time at Chelsea, tensions arose due to Maloudaโs request for a transfer and a subsequent disagreement over his wages. This ultimately led to his release from the club in June 2013.
Following his departure from Chelsea, Malouda continued his career across several leagues around the world, before retiring in 2018. He played for the Turkish Sรผper Lig team Trabzonspor, Metz in France, Delhi Dynamos in India, Wadi Degla in Egypt, and FC Differdange in Luxembourg.
Major Accolades
- Malouda won the Premier League, three FA Cups, and an FA Community Shield with Chelsea.
6. Ray Parlour
Ray Parlour wore the number 15 shirt for:
- Arsenal FC
- Middlesbrough FC
Parlour โ nicknamed โthe Romford Peleโ โ was an unsung hero at Arsenal during their 90s and early 2000s brilliance.
Coming through Arsenalโs youth system in 1992, Parlour played for the Gunners until 2004 wearing the number 15 shirt.
Under Arsรจne Wengerโs management, Parlour became a key player in the team, often occupying the right wing or central midfield.
His contributions were pivotal in Arsenalโs successes in his 15 years there. In total, he made 466 appearances for Arsenal, scoring 32 goals across all competitions. Notably, his record of 333 Premier League appearances for the club remains unmatched.
Despite being somewhat overshadowed by teammates like Patrick Vieira, Parlour is revered by many Arsenal fans as one of the most underrated players of his generation.
Major Accolades
- Parlour won Arsenal Player of the Season in 1997-98.
- With Arsenal, he won three Premier League titles, four FA Cups, one Football League Cup, three FA Community Shields, and the UEFA Cup Winnersโ Cup.
7. Andrea Barzagli
Andrea Barzagli played wearing number 15 for:
- Juventus FC
- Italy
Barzagli was a classical Italian defender playing in the modern era. Barzagli is not only known for his strong and commanding build, but also for his strong soccer IQ and positional sense.
โBarzagli has been unlucky for a year, but heโs one of the best in the world. Heโs physical, and thereโs no-one better than him one-on-one.โ
Leonardo Bonucci
Andrea Barzagli joined Juventus at the latter end of his career at the age of 29. After his stint at Wolfsburg, Barzagli joined Juventus in January 2011 and chose to wear number 15.
His first 6 months turned out to be disappointing as Juventus finished in a lowly 7th position. However, with the arrival of Antonio Conte next season, Barzagli became an integral part of the Juventus backline. The 2011-12 season saw him play a crucial role as Juventus went unbeaten to win the Serie A title, and boasted the best defence in Italy and Europe.
Over the next seasons, Barzagli formed a formidable defensive trio with Bonucci and Chiellini, earning them the nickname BBC (also given to the Madrid trio Benzema, Bale, and Ronaldo).
Barzagliโs versatility was evident as he seamlessly transitioned to the right-back position when needed. His contributions were instrumental in Juventusโ successes, and he concluded his career with a heartfelt farewell in May 2019.
Andrea Barzagli also had a noteworthy international career with Italy. He was a key figure in the Italian under-21 team that triumphed in the 2004 UEFA European Under-21 Championship and also secured a bronze medal at the Summer Olympics in Athens the same year.
In the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Barzagli unexpectedly found himself in action due to Materazziโs sending off. Italy went on to win the World Cup that year.
Major Accolades
- He was named in the Serie A Team of the Year four times.
- He has won eight Serie A titles, four Supercoppa Italiana, and four Coppa Italia with Juventus.
- With Italy, Barzagli won the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
8. Megan Rapinoe
Megan Rapinoe has worn the number 15 for:
- OL Reign
- United States
Rapinoe is probably the most famous womenโs soccer player in the world. Known for her crafty style of play and ability to beat defenders, Rapinoe has inked her legacy as one of the soccer greats.
Megan Rapinoeโs tenure with Seattle Reign FC began in 2013, at a time when the club was in dire need of saving. They had not won a single game in the opening 10 games of the season. She contributed significantly to turning around their fortunes and despite only playing half of the 2013 season, Rapinoe emerged as the Reignโs leading scorer with five goals.
In the 2014 season, after recovering from an injury, she played a key role in helping the Reign secure the leagueโs regular season title. Rapinoe has continued to be a pivotal figure for the Reign, earning recognition as a Reign FC Legend in September 2019.
For the United States national team, Megan Rapinoe made her debut in 2006. She announced herself to the world in the 2011 FIFA Womenโs World Cup, where she made pivotal contributions including a crucial goal against Colombia and a decisive assist to Abby Wambach in the dramatic quarterfinal against Brazil.
She has been a major part of the US womenโs team success over the past decade, scoring over 60 goals in 203 appearances.
Major Accolades
- Megan Rapinoe won the Ballon dโOr Fรฉminin and The Best FIFA Womenโs Player award in 2019.
- She has won three NWSL Shields, and The Womenโs Cup with OL Reign.
- Rapinoe has won two FIFA Womenโs World Cups, one Olympic Gold Medal, three Algarve Cups, and three CONCACAF Womenโs Championships with United States.
9. Sunday Oliseh
Sunday Oliseh wore number 15 for:
- 1.FC Kรถln
- Ajax Amsterdam
- Borussia Dortmund
- Nigeria
A few remember the name of Sunday Ogochukwu Oliseh, but in his playing career Oliseh was widely regarded as one of the best African midfielders of all time.
He played for several big clubs around Europe in the 1990s and early 2000s, winning trophies everywhere he went. Although a defensive midfielder by position, Oliseh was one of the first players to bring technicality to that that role. He was a physical yet technically gifted player.
Oliseh had a distinguished international career with Nigeria, participating in two World Cup tournaments in 1994 and 1998. He also contributed to Nigeriaโs U23 Olympic gold medal victory in 1996.
Despite captaining Nigeria in the 2002 African Cup of Nations, he was excluded from the World Cup squad due to disciplinary issues. This led to his retirement from international football in June 2002, as he advocated for the payment of unpaid allowances and dues owed to the team.
Major Accolades
- He won the 1997-98 Eredivisie and two KNVB Cups with Ajax.
- With Borussia Dortmund, he won the Bundesliga in 2001-02.
- Oliseh won the Olympic Gold Medal in 1996 with Nigeria U23.
- He also won the African Cup of Nations and the Afro-Asian Cup of Nations with Nigeria.
Notable Mentions
- George Weah (1993/94) โ Paris Saint Germain
- Kevin De Bruyne (2013/14) โ Chelsea
- Michael Essien (2012/13) โ Real Madrid
- Didier Drogba (2004/05 โ 05/06) โ Chelsea
- Gary Neville (1993/94) โ Manchester United
- Samuel Kuffour (1996/97) โ Bayern Munich
- Ashley Young (2019/20 โ 20/21) โ Inter Milan
- Seydou Keita (2008/09 โ 11/12) โ FC Barcelona
- Gianluca Zambrotta (2008/09 โ 09/10) โ AC Milan
- Daniel Carvajal (2013/14 โ 2015/16) โ Real Madrid
Conclusion: Best Number 15 Soccer Players
In conclusion, the number 15 shirt has been worn by some great soccer players. Although not a favourite amongst the soccer stars, number 15 has seen its fair share of stardom. Some amazing players wore number 15 at the start of their career, which they later changed. These players have been included in the notable mentions list.
If you feel Iโve missed some number 15 soccer players who had to be on the list, then do let me know down in the comments.
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