8 days to the Cup now! Let's have a look at some players who wore #8 in the tournament.

Today we start in Europe. Let's begin with Sándor Kocsis, from the Magic Magyars of 1954, whose 11 goals in 5 games put Hungary in that year's final
and made of him the number's top goalscorer. #8 was also the number of another famous Eastern European who finished at the top of a WC's scoring chart as
he led his team to unprecedented heights: Hristo Stoichkov, WC semifinalist with Bulgaria in 1994, where he scored 6 goals, and in 1998 too.

There's also Robert Prosinecki, who was Croatia's #8 in their run to the semifinals in 1998, also with them in 2002. And other two honourable
mentions from Eastern Europe are Czechoslovakia's Antonin Panenka, who got
some playing time in WC'1982, and the USSR's Albert Shesternyov, who had
three different numbers in the three WC's he played, but was the Soviet #8
in 1962.

Crossing over to Western Europe, surely the biggest name is Spain's Xavi,
who used #8 in 2006, 2010 and 2014, winner in 2010. France brings on Marcel Desailly, WC winner in 1998, also there in 2002. From Italy we could mention
Gennaro Gattuso (2002 to 2010) and Gaetano Scirea, who wore this number in 1982. And Germany had Lothar Matthaus in 1986 and 1998, Thomas Häßler (1990 and 1994) and, more recently, Mesut Özil (2010 and 2014) and Tony Kroos (2018).

Beyond Dennis Bergkamp in 1998, the Dutch also boast a goalkeeper wearing
#8 not only once, but twice: Jan Jongbloed, twice finalist in 1974 and 1978. Another finalist is Sweden's Gunnar Gren (1958), from the famous Gre-No-Li trio. And from the UK, there is Scotland's Kenny Dalglish (1974 to 1982)
and England's Chris Waddle (1990), Paul Scholes (2002) and Frank Lampard
(2006 to 2014).

And the above was Europe only. Crossing over to South America, Brasil had a number of interesting #8's. Didi used it in 1954 and 1962. #8 was Zico's
first number, in 1978, as Rivelino was Brasil's #10 in that Cup. Sócrates
wore it in 1982 and Kaká in 2006. There's also Gerson (1970) and Dunga (1994 and 1998).

Argentina never gave #8 to the same player in more than one World Cup, so
their names have only one tournament with it. I'd mention Claudio Caniggia (1990), Diego Simeone (1998), Javier Zanetti (2002), Javier Mascherano (2006) and Juan Sebastián Verón (2010) as the most noteworthy names. From Uruguay there is Pedro Rocha, #8 in 1970 as already mentioned in another thread.
Chile had Arturo Vidal in 2010 and 2014 and Paraguay brings on Julio Cesar Romero (1986).

From the rest of the world, there is Japan's Hidetoshi Nakata (1998), Ghana's Michael Essien (2006) and Ivory Coast's Salomon Kalou (2010 and 2014).

So, there it is. Tomorrow, #7!


Best regards,

Lléo

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* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 2022-11-12 18:14, Lléo wrote:

8 days to the Cup now! Let's have a look at some players who wore #8 in the tournament.

Today we start in Europe. Let's begin with Sándor Kocsis, from the Magic Magyars of 1954, whose 11 goals in 5 games put Hungary in that year's final and made of him the number's top goalscorer. #8 was also the number of another
famous Eastern European who finished at the top of a WC's scoring chart as
he led his team to unprecedented heights: Hristo Stoichkov, WC semifinalist with Bulgaria in 1994, where he scored 6 goals, and in 1998 too.

There's also Robert Prosinecki, who was Croatia's #8 in their run to the semifinals in 1998, also with them in 2002. And other two honourable
mentions from Eastern Europe are Czechoslovakia's Antonin Panenka, who got some playing time in WC'1982, and the USSR's Albert Shesternyov, who had three different numbers in the three WC's he played, but was the Soviet #8
in 1962.

Crossing over to Western Europe, surely the biggest name is Spain's Xavi,
who used #8 in 2006, 2010 and 2014, winner in 2010. France brings on Marcel Desailly, WC winner in 1998, also there in 2002. From Italy we could mention
Gennaro Gattuso (2002 to 2010) and Gaetano Scirea, who wore this number in 1982. And Germany had Lothar Matthaus in 1986 and 1998, Thomas Häßler (1990 and 1994) and, more recently, Mesut Özil (2010 and 2014) and Tony Kroos (2018).

Beyond Dennis Bergkamp in 1998, the Dutch also boast a goalkeeper wearing
#8 not only once, but twice: Jan Jongbloed, twice finalist in 1974 and 1978. Another finalist is Sweden's Gunnar Gren (1958), from the famous Gre-No-Li trio. And from the UK, there is Scotland's Kenny Dalglish (1974 to 1982)
and England's Chris Waddle (1990), Paul Scholes (2002) and Frank Lampard (2006 to 2014).

Enzo Scifo wore 8 in 1986, which was Belgium's best performance until
2018. He wore 10 the next two cups, then 14 in 1998.

And the above was Europe only. Crossing over to South America, Brasil had a number of interesting #8's. Didi used it in 1954 and 1962. #8 was Zico's first number, in 1978, as Rivelino was Brasil's #10 in that Cup. Sócrates wore it in 1982 and Kaká in 2006. There's also Gerson (1970) and Dunga (1994 and 1998).

Argentina never gave #8 to the same player in more than one World Cup, so their names have only one tournament with it. I'd mention Claudio Caniggia (1990), Diego Simeone (1998), Javier Zanetti (2002), Javier Mascherano (2006) and Juan Sebastián Verón (2010) as the most noteworthy names. From Uruguay there is Pedro Rocha, #8 in 1970 as already mentioned in another thread. Chile had Arturo Vidal in 2010 and 2014 and Paraguay brings on Julio Cesar Romero (1986).

From the rest of the world, there is Japan's Hidetoshi Nakata (1998), Ghana's
Michael Essien (2006) and Ivory Coast's Salomon Kalou (2010 and 2014).

So, there it is. Tomorrow, #7!

Best regards,

Lléo

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On Saturday, November 12, 2022 at 8:14:02 PM UTC-5, Lléo wrote:

2002. From Italy we could mention
Gennaro Gattuso (2002 to 2010) and Gaetano Scirea, who wore this number in 1982.

Scirea wore 7 in 1982. He wore 8 in 1978 (and 6 in 1986)

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* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)