My lucky number is 13. The most unlucky number in the world is my lucky number. There is a phobia reserved only for my lucky number - "Triskaidekaphobia"
I wear the number 13 in soccer. Almost always in soccer or really any sport (but I think mainly soccer) players will wear numbers from their favorite players. My favorite player in the world of soccer plays for Manchester United and his name is Luis Carlos Almeida da Cunha or better known as Luis Nani. Nani is not one of the best players in the world and he is not even picked for the starting lineup half of the time. He works hard and is faithful to his club and overall is just a play-maker. Something about him makes me so intrigued that he couldn't not be my favorite player. Nani is Portuguese and wears #17 for both Manchester United and the Portugal national team. I was inches (literally) away from getting the #17 jersey for school this year but i refused to break the unlucky/lucky trend of #13.
In the era where numbers were just being thought of to help identify players, they were given out 1-11. #1 was the goalie and the numbers moved forward until #10 and #11 were the strikers. #10 is the cream of the crop for soccer players today. Messi, Rooney, Ronaldinho, and countless other current and past stars have worn the classic #10. Basically one player, a while ago had to start a trend of #10. In my opinion Pele started it. He was the best player in the world and is still considered to be in the top tier of all players ever and he wore #10. When you idolize someone from a young age you want to be like them. In my opinion, many children of Pele's time idolized him and thus wanted to be #10 just like him and from those were more star players, etc.. Trends in numbers of star players are #10, #9, #7, and #5. I am nearly sure that anyone could make an argument for any other 0-19 number being worn by star players... Except for #13.
Two of the most storied clubs ever, who are still currently elite powers, Liverpool and Arsenal, do not even carry the jersey number for bad luck reasons. Also, the only semi-elite player who i can think of who wears the number is Maicon Sisenando or Maicon for short. Maicon plays right back (defense) for Roma. The best player, past or present to ever wear the #13 is Maicon, a defender for a mediocre Italian club.
Maybe I will be that player who all the kids look up to and in the process revolutionize the jersey number 13, but then again maybe I should stop dreaming.
- Lucas McMillan
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