AC Milan's No. 3 and other retired shirt numbers

AC Milan's No. 3 and other retired shirt numbers

Thomas Davidson 6 years ago 9.3k |

Reading time: minutes

Pelé, Maldini and Maradona all have shirts retired in their name. BeSoccer

To see your number retired by your club is the most prestigious honour a player can receive. Only a handful of footballers leave behind a legacy worthy of the gesture, and below are some of the stars who wrote their names in their clubs' history books.

AC Milan - 3

Worn by Paolo Maldini, the No. 3 at AC Milan was retired to honour his legacy. The Italian played 902 times for the Rossoneri across an astonishing 25 seasons and now lives on as the epitome of a one-club man. 'Il Capitano' holds the club record for appearances in Serie A (647) and lifted the coveted trophy 7 times. Maldini retired in 2009 at the age of 41 and took his No. 3 with him.

Inter Milan - 4

For many years, No. 4 was worn on Javier Zanetti's back at Inter. The Argentine donned the captain's armband for 13 years and is the most capped player in the history of the club (858). Whilst Maldini played at left-back, Zanetti will go down in Serie A history as the league's most iconic right-back.

Fiorentina - 13

Earlier this year, the world of football was shocked and saddened by the sudden passing of FIorentina centre-back Davide Astori. As a touching mark of respect to their late captain, the club chose to retire his number. Cagliari, where Astori spent six seasons of his career, joined Fiorentina in the gesture.

West Ham - 6

Captain of England's World Cup winning side in 1966, Bobby Moore plied his trade at club level with West Ham where he became a club legend. Due to his dedication and service to the club, the No. 6 shirt was officially retired in 2008, 15 years after the defender's death.

Napoli - 10

Argentina's playmaking maestro Diego Maradona enjoyed seven seasons in Italy with Napoli under the No. 10 that has become synonymous with his trickery. He rapidly became a fan favourite and led the club to their first Serie A title in 1987. Napoli chose to retire Maradona's number to honour his success at the club.

Ajax - 14

Another legend of the game, Johan Cruyff was a product of Ajax's notorious academy. The Dutchman won three Ballon d'Ors and even coined his own feint, the 'Cruyff Turn,' that duped opposition defenders time and time again. No. 14, a shirt he pulled at random out of a basket, would end up carrying a legacy so rich it had to be retired in Amsterdam.

New York Cosmos - 10

Pelé, often considered the greatest player to grace a football pitch, came out of semi-retirement to dazzle fans stateside with the Cosmos. Carrying three World Cups under his arms, the Brazilian vastly boosted the popularity of the sport in North America and, despite just playing there for only three seasons, did enough to earn the ultimate honour.