Five days to go now, time to have a look at the World Cup's iconic #5's.

Obdulio Varela, captain of Uruguay 1950, is the obvious player to start here. There are so many accounts and stories of how he led the Uruguayans to an unlikely trophy that day that I cannot possibly do them justice. Below are
some excerpts, one from the Best of RSS and the other an interview to Argentinian writer Osvaldo Soriano that was posted here (the latter in Spanish):

https://www.rsssf.org/rssbest/varela.html https://groups.google.com/g/rec.sport.soccer/c/zvBLnaiixkU/m/xyJJYo6hcGAJ

Then we go to Franz Beckenbauer, captain of West Gemany in 1974, one of the greatest players in history. Der Kaiser played in three World Cups, the other two with #4, accruing two finals and one semifinal. He'd later coach West Germany to a further two finals, losing one and winning the other.

Those two above set up a very high standard, hard for any subsequent player
to be measured against. Which is not to say there weren't other very fine
#5's in World Cup history, as we'll see below.

Let's start in Europe. Fabio Cannavaro was Italy's #5 in three World Cups (2002 to 2010), captaining them to the title in 2006. One of the best defenders in the world at his time, in that WC, he and Buffon led a defense that conceded
only two goals in seven games - one an own goal, and the other from a penalty kick.

Italy had many other notable #5's. There's a father and son duo, Cesare and Paolo Maldini (1962 and 1994). The former also coached Italy in WC'1998 and Paraguay in WC'2002, while the latter is another all time great from Italy. Tarcisio Burgnich (1966), Claudio Gentile (1978) and Alessandro Costacurta (1998) are other examples of Italian WC #5's.

From England there's Billy Wright, who captained them in three World Cups (1950
to 1958), wearing #5 in the last of these. He was also the first player to earn 100 international caps, making it to 105 with the Three Lions. Also Jack Charlton,
later manager of the Republic of Ireland in their first two WC's (1990 and 1994)
and a World Cup winner in 1966. More recently, Rio Ferdinand, who wore it in 2002
and 2006.

Then there's Clockwork Orange member Ruud Krol, who wore it in 1978, though. Laurent Blanc, France's #5 in their World Cup winning run of 1998. And Carles Puyol, from Spain, Spanish #5 from 2002 to 2010.

Crossing the Atlantic towards South America we meet the number's top goalscorer,
Brazilian defensive midfielder César Sampaio, with three goals in 1998. Brasil
also had Toninho Cerezo in 1978 and 1982, Falcão in 1986 (as a sub, though) and
Alemão in 1990. Chile's all time great defender Elias Figueroa wore #5 in 1974 and 1982. Argentina had Ubaldo Fillol, goalkeeper in their title winning campaign
of 1978; Jose Luis Brown, one of their heroes in the 1986 final, scoring the opener
(his only goal ever for Argentina) and then soldiering on for most of the second
half with a broken shoulder; and Fernando Redondo, in 1994.

And that'all I have for #5. Tomorrow we do #4!


Best regards,

Lléo

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