Certain jersey numbers in soccer attract quality players, and the number six is no exception, with some of the greatest players ever to lace up a pair of cleats having worn the fabled number six jersey.
A number that’s usually associated with defenders or, at the very least, defensive-minded central midfielders, it’s a number steeped in history.
We wanted to pay homage to this often under-rated jersey and have found seven players who spent much of their career proudly wearing the 6 on their backs.
While the number 9 or even the number 11 jersey may get most of the plaudits, the teams with a world-class number six in their lineup had a head start.
If there’s one thing to take from this list, it’s that these players were all habitual winners; hard-working, technically brilliant players whose names will live on for as long as there’s a soccer fan left standing. You’re in for a treat; these players were giants of the game.
Here are the 7 best soccer players who have worn the number 6 jersey.
7. Ronald de Boer
Ajax and Barcelona legend Ronald de Boer was an attacking midfielder and center-forward with the technical skills you’d expect from a member of the Ajax youth academy.
The captain of the Dutch national team, de Boer wore the number six jersey for both Holland and Ajax. After a superb spell with Ajax, the Dutchman left for Barcelona in 1999 with his brother, Fran de Boer.
At Barcelona, things didn’t quite work out as planned, as a loss of form and very limited appearances meant that de Boer would leave after only one season. A move to Glasgow Rangers in 2000 saw the player join forces with Dutch manager Dick Advocaat and several other Dutch players.
At Rangers, de Boer would win the Scottish Premier League, two Scottish Cups, and a League Cup. A prolific goalscorer at Rangers, averaging a goal every three games.
But, de Boer is probably best known for his two spells at Ajax and the fact that he was a member of a superb Netherlands team that couldn’t quite manage to win an international trophy.
6. Matthias Sammer – Borussia Dortmund
Matthias Sammer was the Swiss Army Knife of players, able to play in defense as a sweeper, midfielder, winger, and striker.
A truly world-class player, Sammer was ideally played as a sweeper, thanks to his excellent vision and passing range. Acting as a quarterback, Sammer would add defensive solidity and attacking prowess.
The German international could run all day, had the physical and technical skill to retain possession, had an eye for goal, and was an outstanding defender.
Twice named Footballer of the Year in Germany, Sammer was the perfect player, a leader both on and off the field; his very presence stabilized the Borussia Dortmund team.
Despite being regarded as one of the top three sweepers of all time, Sammer suffered from horrific injuries, and we can only wonder just how good this number 6 could have been had he not been forced to retire at age 31.
With 84 league goals in 291 league appearances, you’d think Sammer was a striker or winger, but to score with such regularity from a sweeper position is a mark of just how outstanding a player he was.
5. Aldair
You know a player is good when his full name, Aldair Nascimento dos Santos, is shortened to simply Aldair, and everyone still knows who you’re talking about.
Brazilian center-back Aldair, one of the greatest defenders Brazil has ever produced, was a colossal defender and spent 13 seasons in the Seria A with Roma, helping the club to the 2001 Serie A title.
Aldair was a typical Brazilian export, superb on the ball, able to play in multiple positions, and excellent at distributing the ball forwards into attacking areas.
As well as being an excellent defender, Aldair had the ball skills and the technical ability to forage upfield and would often be seen in midfield, starting attacks.
With a game intelligence that made his defending look like he was reading from a script, Aldair made the game look effortless, and his longevity made him one of the most experienced players in Serie A. In his 23-year career, Aldair played in Brazil, Portugal, and, most notably, Italy.
4. Roberto Carlos – Real Madrid
Brazilian left-back Roberto Carlos was one of the most unique defenders of all time, famous for his incredible, long-range free kicks; the Real Madrid legend won everything there is to win in the game.
A World Cup winner with Brazil, Carlos also dominated with Real Madrid, winning multiple La Liga titles and three Champions League medals.
Despite being a left-back, Roberto Carlos spent his entire career bombing down the left wing for both club and country and is remembered as the most attacking left-back in history.
Nicknamed “The Bullet Man” due to his incredibly fierce shot, Carlos was adept at kicking a ball so hard that it caused it to swerve during flight.
One of the most incredible goals ever seen was his long-range free kick for Brazil against France, where his run-up to take the free kick was about 25 yards long, and the shot itself bent far to the right, only to bend into the net with incredible swerve. Roberto Carlos is the greatest attack-minded wing-back of all time.
3. Franco Baresi
If you had to name ten of the greatest defenders of all time, Franco Baresi would take up three of the spots; he was that good.
A great Italian defender may not be hard to find, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find a defender as cultured, intelligent, and resolute as Baresi. The Italy number 6 had everything, power, pace, anticipation, and an unending source of energy.
Playing alongside some of the greatest defenders in history, Baresi stood out as the most influential player of his generation.
Baresi had the skill to create attacking plays, the tenacity to track back and cover the defensive line like a lion, and the effortless grace to glide around the pitch as if he owned it.
In twenty seasons playing for AC Milan, Baresi established himself as the best defender in Europe, winning six league titles, three European Cups, and four European Super Cups.
You’ll never see another player at AC Milan in the number 6; the club retired the number in honor of the most excellent defender the club had ever seen. Who would want to fill those shoes?
2. Bobby Moore
The revered England captain that helped his nation to their only World Cup victory in 1966, Bobby Moore was the elite, a player that every fan, every player, and every manager the world over respected.
A cultured, elegant player, Moore rarely had to tackle an opponent, choosing instead to simply rob them of the ball and float away with it.
One of the greatest club and country captains ever seen, Bobby Moore played in such a way that all admired him.
A professional, hard-working, modest, and clean player, he captained England 90 times during his 108 cap career. A West Ham legend, Moore spent 16 seasons with his boyhood club.
Like Franco Baresi, the fans and West Ham FC held Moore in such esteem that his number 6 jersey was also retired as a mark of respect.
When the legendary defender passed away at the young age of 51, the outpouring of grief and respect was televised throughout England. One of the finest players ever to kick a ball and certainly the greatest English player of all time.
1. Xavi Hernandez – Barcelona
An eight-time La Liga winner with Barcelona, Xavi was arguably one of the greatest midfielders of all time.
A supremely gifted player, the Barcelona number 6 had an appreciation of space and time that allowed him to make decisions in a heartbeat, impossible to dispossess, a passer of supreme vision; Xavi was the complete player.
The Spanish World Cup winner could read a game like it was in slow motion, allowing him to find teammates with the ball when regular players would still be trying to control the ball.
In a team whose mantra was “have the ball and keep it,” Xavi was the perfect combination of guile and talent; Messi may win the plaudits, but without Xavi in midfield, the game stops.
Nicknamed “ The Puppet Master” for the way he sat in midfield and pulled the strings, Xavi controlled games through timing, control, and unerring passing.
When a player is as good as Xavi plays, everyone stops to watch. Xavi would return to Barcelona in 2021 as the club’s new manager and is slowly recreating Barcelona in his image.
If the mercurial midfielder can get his team to play anywhere near the standards he held to as a player, the rest o La Liga should be very afraid.
Despite suffering substantial financial issues due to the Covid Pandemic, several superb youth players at Barcelona must be awestruck by being trained by their childhood hero.
