Almost there now, four days to the Cup, let's name some #4's of World Cup history!

#4's are usually defenders, right-backs or midfielders, depending on where
one looks. But we'll also find a couple of forwards here as well.

We begin with the player who held the number for most World Cups, Mexico's Rafael Marquez, who held this number for Mexico in 18 international tournaments since 1999, which includes 5 World Cups from 2002 to 2018. Nicknamed "El Kaiser"
by his fans, he's the most capped Mexican international and the Mexican player with most WC games under his belt, with 19 overall.

We see another Kaiser when we look at #4's top goalscorer: West Germany's Franz Beckenbauer, already mentioned in the thread about #5, who scored 5 goals in 1966
and 1970 as he led the Germans to a final and a semifinal. Also on 5 goals, as joint top goalscorer, is Australia's Tim Cahill (2006 to 2018).

From South America, we can start with Brasil's Carlos Alberto, captain of
the 1970 world cup winning squad and scorer of the last goal in the final. There's also Peruvian all time great Hector Chumpitaz, central defender who featured in WC's 1970 and 1978, winner of Copa America 1975. Argentinian right winger Daniel Bertoni, three times Libertadores winner with Independiente amongst other honours, was Argentina's #4 in 1978 and 1982, having scored
four goals, including the last one of the 1978 final. And there's Paraguay's Carlos Gamarra, one of the cleanest and finest defenders his country has ever produced, who wore the ALbirroja's #4 from 1998 to 2006.

From Europe, there are Italy's Alessandro Costacurta (1994) and Fabio Cannavaro
(1998), also already mentioned in the #5 thread. France brings on midfielder Patrick Vieira (1998 to 2006), who made two finals as Les Bleus #4. Also playing
three World Cups, there's England's Steven Gerrard (2006 to 2014). Scotland had Graeme Souness in 1982 and 1986, and the Netherlands bring on Ronald Koeman (1990
and 1994). And Sweden had Nils Liedholm, finalist in 1958 and scorer of one of Sweden's goals in the final.

From Africa, Ghana's Samuel Kuffour played in the 2006 World Cup, and there's Nigerian forward Nwankwo Kanu, who played in the 1998, 2002 and 2010 tournaments.

And that's all I have for #4. If you think I missed someone or got anything wrong
in the above, you know the drill. Next to come, #3!


Best regards,

Lléo

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