Decoding Football’s Numbers: The Meaning Behind Numbers 6, 8, 9, and 10
Football has become a more tactical game than ever before. Managers such as current Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola have revolutionized the beautiful game, turning what was a blood-and-thunder affair into a more well-drilled contest focusing on possession rather than long balls and 50/50s.
Within any given system, players will obviously have differing roles. Defenders, midfielders, and attackers are the basics, but inside of those, there are even more nuanced responsibilities. Some players are considered playmakers, and it is up to them to create opportunities. Others are finishers, and as you might have guessed, it's their job to stick the ball in the net and ultimately win matches.
But even with football evolving into a beast no one could have even imagined when the game was created back in the 1800s, fans and pundits still use old-fashioned references that some may not understand. One of the most common is referring to a player's role by a specific number, using phrases like “He’s a classic Number Ten” or “They need a solid Number Six.” But what does it all mean?
The Basics
Well, in simpler times, players were simply given shirts listed from 1 to 11 depending on their position. The usual breakdown went something like this:
- Goalkeeper
- Right Back
- Left Back
- Center Back
- Center Back
- Central Midfielder
- Right Midfielder
- Central Midfielder
- Striker
- Striker
- Left Midfielder
In modern times, this has changed immensely. Players are no longer registered simply with numbers one through 11. And even when they were, four was sometimes worn by a midfielder such as Steven Gerrard when he played for England. Nine sometimes went to a defender - see Khalid Bhoularouz during his Chelsea days. Current Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham wears five even though he plays in center midfield.
So, what on earth are the pundits referring to when they mention roles such as Number Six or Number Eight? Let's find out.
Number 6
The Number Six is often seen as the anchor of the midfield. This role involves sitting deeper on the pitch, maintaining order, and acting as a defensive shield for the team. A player in this position is responsible for intercepting opposition plays, protecting the backline, and recycling possession to set up attacks. They may not take center stage, but they are vital to a team’s stability and success.
During his illustrious career with FC Barcelona, Sergio Busquets was synonymous with the role, becoming the quiet maestro of the pitch. He’d break down countless attacking moves from the opposition while calmly distributing the ball to launch his team’s transitions.
In the last couple of years, another Spaniard, Manchester City's Rodri, has taken the role to new heights. He famously won the Balon d'Or last season ahead of some more glamorous names such as Real Madrid duo Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe, finally shining a light on one of the beautiful game’s most overlooked roles.
Number 8
While the Number Six sits protectively at the heart of the action, an Eight bursts forward with unstoppable energy, attacking and defending both respective boxes with lung-busting runs, and generally just dominating the gaming. It takes a special kind of player to play in this role as they must be able to do it all: winning tackles, threading key passes, scoring goals, and everything in between.
Steven Gerrard is the player that immediately comes to mind. The Liverpool legend epitomized energy, determination, and versatility, traits an Eight simply must have in spades if they are to succeed. Whether launching thunderous strikes from a distance, delivering inch-perfect passes to teammates, or tracking back to make crunching tackles, Stevie G's presence was felt across every blade of grass
This season, Arsenal's Declan Rice has made headlines following his transition from playing as a Number Six to now, a Number Eight. Before the ongoing campaign, the England international was seen as more of a holding player, but manager Mikel Arteta has trusted Rice with additional responsibilities to get further forward.
His growth as a player was on full display in the recent UEFA Champions League Quarter Final first leg against Real Madrid at the Emirates. Rice thumped home two stunning free kicks to help his side to a 3-0 victory, and now online sports betting sites consider his side a contender for the title. The Gunners are a short-priced +400 contender with Bovada's sport betting odds to win the European Cup in Munich on May 31st, and much of their success is down to Rice's progression from a Six to an Eight.
And if Bovada’s recent tweet is anything to go by, they were pretty impressed by him too!
Number 9
The Number Nine is arguably the most glamorous of them all, embodying every attacking team’s hopes and dreams. This role is for the striker, the goal-scorer, the finisher. The one that clubs pay the big bucks for.
Positioned closest to the opponent’s goal, a Number Nine is there to pounce on chances, outsmart defenders, and deliver moments of pure magic in the final third.
All the greats over the years have worn the famous Nine shirt. Ronaldo - the Brazilian one, not Cristiano - Gabriel Batistuta, Alan Shearer, Ruud van Nistelrooy, and many many more. In modern times, it's the likes of Robert Lewandowski, England captain Harry Kane, and the prolific Erling Haaland who have shone with the Nine on their back, solely due to their monumental goal outputs.
Number 10
If the Number Nine is a predator, then the Ten is the artist. This role represents the visionaries, the players who pull strings and create moments that define games. Operating between midfield and the attack, a number Ten is tasked with finding space, unlocking defenses with precise passes, and scoring brilliant goals of their own.
Diego Maradona became synonymous with the role, but in recent times, it's his successor Lionel Messi who has taken over as the top dog. Both are Argentinian heroes, but it is the latter that many now consider the greatest player who has ever lived after his exploits at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where he at last conquered his final peak and led his beloved Albiceleste back to the promised land.
