The number 13 means different things to many people. In some cultures, some consider it a sign of bad luck, while others believe it to be a harbinger of good fortune. In football, however, most people think it’s just another jersey number no different from any other. A few players have excelled while wearing this particular number, be it national or club side football. Today, we bring to you a few players who have worn this distinctive shirt number.
Here are the best footballers to wear jersey number 13.
1. Michael Ballack
The former German international was usually seen wearing the shirt number 13 during his time with English side Chelsea FC and the German national team. The midfielder was a strong presence in the center of the field for whichever team he played. His strength and technical ability made him a formidable midfield opponent. His aerial dominance also made him a threat during set-piece situations. Michael Ballack is definitely one player who loved wearing the number 13 jersey. He had the number 13 when he played for the German national team, Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Bayer Leverkusen. In fact, Ballack donned the number 13 shirt for every team he has played for, except from FC Kaiserslautern.
2. Alessandro Nesta
The former Italian international usually adorned this number when playing for his previous club side AC Milan, as well as Lazio and the Italian national team. The number brought him no ill wind as he was one of the most dominant defenders during his heyday in the early 2000s. Apart from Milan, Nesta also enjoyed successful spells at Lazio, with whom he won the Italian Serie A league title in the 1999-2000 season. He’s also a former World Cup winner (2006) with Italy. Nesta was widely regarded as one of the best defenders in the world, during his playing days.
3. Park Ji-Sung
The former Korean international is obviously not the superstitious type as he proudly wore this number during his time with English football giants Manchester United. Despite the plethora of quality players at Manchester at the time, Park managed to prove his quality and was an invaluable member of the squad that won numerous leagues and domestic cup titles.
4. Maicon Douglas Sisenando
The Brazilian right-back/right-wingback is another player who didn’t find the number a burden to wear. If anything, wearing the number 13 brought great success to the former Brazil international, who won many titles during his time with Italian giants Inter Milan. Maicon was able to win a treble with Nerrazuri clinching the Serie A, Coppa Italia, and UEFA Champions League titles. Maicon wore the number 13 jersey number for Brazil, AS Monaco, Inter Milan AS Roma, and ASD Sona Calcio.
5. Danny Murphy
The former Liverpool FC player had no issues wearing this supposedly jinxed number during his time with English club side Fulham FC. During his time with the Cottagers, Murphy scored 29 goals in 204 appearances, helping them reach the finals of the Europa League, where they lost to Atletico Madrid.
Notable Footballers Who Wore Jersey Number 13:
- Aleksandar Kolarov – Man City
- Aliaksandr Hleb – Arsenal
- Kristine Lilly – US Women’s National Team
- David Ospina – Arsenal
- Thomas Muller – Germany
- Kevin Hitchcock – Chelsea
- William Gallas – Chelsea
- Thibaut Courtois – Chelsea
- Adil Rami – AC Milan
