Seven has been considered a lucky number for centuries. The Ancient Greeks thought it was a perfect number, while the Japanese said there were seven lucky gods you could turn to when you wanted things going your way.
So, having said all that, we thought we combine two kinds of sevens for a double-lucky post. Here’s PartyPoker’s choice of the top seven footballers who played in the number 7 shirt. Might be worth putting a bet on any of these guys who are still playing.
Glen Little
#BigCheese pic.twitter.com/Noq9dsAv5V
— Glen Little (@GlenLittle07) December 11, 2013
We can’t have a list of 7s without Glen Little, a man so dedicated to the number that after returning to Reading to find it taken took 52 instead: 5 + 2 = 7. Now at the age of 40, he’s still plying his trade at Grays Athletic as both a player and assistant manager. Having played for the likes of Crystal Palace and Sheffield United he’s racked up 583 appearances and 17 goals. A formidable player on the pitch, his loose style in midfield made him unpredictable, especially when on the attack. This compilation of his time at Burnley shows off his skills well, but the video below of his goal for Wealdstone against Dulwich Hamlet proves he’s still got it. A slightly meandering dribble past some Hamlet players to a simple floating lob. Beautiful.
Franck Ribery
With a look strong enough to stare down Vinnie Jones, France’s Ribery – or Bilal Yusuf Mohammed as he’s known now – might come across as a bit too serious. That’s until you hear about him driving a tractor onto the pitch or nicking the Bayern Munich team bus and crashing it in Dubai. Having been mentored by the legend Zinedine Zidane, you soon realise Ribery is one of a kind. Ribery currently plays for Bayern Munich where he’s been since 2007, but he also made 81 appearances and scored 16 goals for the French national team. Not only that, but he’s bagged French Player of the Year three times. Below you can check out Ribery’s ability to power in shots and also make defenders look like idiots with sly backheels. Enjoy!
Kenny Dalglish
Dalglish is a legend pure and simple, a credit to the number 7. For Celtic who scored 112 goals in 204 games, while with Liverpool he managed 188 in 355. Then there’s his 102 appearances for Scotland where he netted 30 goals. He’s currently the most capped Scottish player of all time. You can’t argue with that. His senior career spanned a massive 31 years, an impressive feet on its own. He went on to become a manager and was in charge at Liverpool during the horrific Hillsborough disaster. His behaviour after one of the darkest days in football history tell you all you need to know about him. Take a look at some of his best goals and assists and get a bit nostalgic watching a slightly scrappier era of the game.
Eric Cantona
Back to France for this one. It’s Cantona. What’s to be said that’s not already been said? One of the most famous footballers in the entire world, an icon on a national and international level. He’ll also, no questions asked, flying kick you if you give him any trouble. He might now be spending his time hanging out with dogs and selling beer, but during his 25 year career he managed 151 goals in 414 appearance, including 20 for the French national team. He also played his role in the Manchester United team that took four Premier League titles and two League/FA Cup Doubles. Ultimately, he’s one of footballing history’s greats.
George Best
This one won’t be a surprise. What list of No7s would be complete without George Best. An Irish legend through and through, he’s equally known for his behaviour both on and off the pitch. Of the time when getting lashed the night before a game was pretty much expected, he spent 11 years at Man United before moving to teams all over the world. He also played for the national Northern Ireland team having 37 appearances and pulling off nine goals. He’s generally considered the best to have ever played for the team. Best is a player that will never be forgotten, especially as his early death took him far too soon. Whatever the case, at least we can re-watch his skills over and over again.
Jairzinho
Nickname: The Hurricane. That’s all you need to know to see why Jairzinho is on this list. In 1970, Brazil won the World Cup – Jairzinho scored in every single one of their matches. Only one other player has ever managed that. His skill on the pitch was incredible, where he combined his speed and skill with power. He didn’t just succeed internationally. During his 15 years at the Brazilian club Botafogo, he made 413 appearances and scored 186 goals. He went on to play for various teams in different countries, eventually managing the Greek club Kalamata and finally the Gabon national team.
Matt le Tissier
Matt Le Tissier vs Lucas Radebe. pic.twitter.com/MHgMwsO74k — 90s Football (@90sfootball) September 1, 2016
Le God is a pretty strong nickname to get, especially when it’s bestowed upon you by your own fans. Le Tissier spent his entire professional club career at Southampton where he scored 161 goals over 443 appearances. He also came out of 10 years of retirement to squeeze in one match with his hometown club of Guernsey. Not many professional footballers do that.
Le Tissier also made 8 appearances with the England squad, although he didn’t manage to score. In the end, he made his name with Southampton and will go down as one of the greats of the club. He’s still Southampton’s top goal scorer and that’s unlikely to change soon. Most impressively, at the club he had a 97.9% success rate with penalties (47 out of 48).
Win Big in Seven Minutes
The number seven keep popping up everywhere, including at partypoker where seven is the number of minutes that a typical Sit & Go Hero tournament lasts from start to finish. During this time, you have the chance to play for a share of a prize pool that is up to 10,000 times your initial buy-in, allowing you to win up to a massive $170,000 for only a $20 buy-in. Interested? Of course you are, head to the partypoker lobby on your computer or mobile device and see how much fun you can have in seven minutes.
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