Number 15 in soccer has, in the recent past, become very popular. Those bestowed with a chance to wear it have to live up to the legacy. Soccer players with the number 15 mostly play in the center-back position. This article will look comprehensively into some iconic players who have rocked the number 15. We highlight:
- Their soccer backgrounds
- Career advancements
- The awards they have received
These soccer players with the number 15 have blessed us with unforgettable soccer moments. So let’s dive in and get to know them better.
The Best Soccer Players With The Number 15
Mats Julian Hummels
Mats Hummels is a German professional soccer player who currently plays for Borussia Dortmund and the German national team as a center-back. The 34-year-old started his career in Bayern Munich’s junior system before making his professional debut in 2009. He was with Bayern for eight seasons, earning three Bundesliga crowns and one Champions League.
Stats:
- Date of birth: December 16, 1988
- Nationality: German
- Teams played for:
- Bayern Munich (youth career: 1995-2006, senior career: 2007-2016)
- Borussia Dortmund (first spell: 2008-2016, second spell: 2019-present)
- Positions played: Centre-back
- Trophies won:
- Bundesliga (7 times): 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2021
- DFB-Pokal (4 times): 2010, 2013, 2014, 2021
- DFB-Supercup (6 times): 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2021
- UEFA Champions League (1 time): 2013
- FIFA World Cup (1 time): 2014
- FIFA Confederations Cup (1 time): 2017
- UEFA European Championship (1 time): Runner-up in 2008
- Other significant achievements:
- FIFA World Cup Dream Team: 2014
- UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season: 2012-2013
- UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament: 2012, 2016
- FIFA FIFPro World XI: 2013
Hummels moved to Borussia Dortmund in 2016, where he has since won two additional Bundesliga titles. Hummels has over 70 caps for the German national team and was a crucial member of the side that won the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. From a defensive standpoint, he is regarded for his leadership and ability to read the game well. Mats Hummels – Premier League
Hummels is well-known for his charity initiatives in addition to his achievements on the field. In 2011, he founded the Mats Hummels Foundation to help numerous social concerns linked to children and education. Through the Foundation’s initiatives, the defender hopes to use his position and influence to give back and better lives.
As he nears the end of his career, Hummels remains an essential player and leader for Dortmund while also pursuing commercial interests off the field. He’ll try to add to his list of accomplishments and help Germany win the World Cup in Qatar in 2022.
Nemanja Vidic
Nemanja Vidic is a retired Serbian footballer who played as a centre-back. From 2006 to 2014, he spent the majority of his club career at Manchester United, where he forged a great defensive partnership with Rio Ferdinand. Vidic won five Premier League titles, one FA Cup, three League Cups, and the Champions League in 2007-08.
Stats:
- Name: Nemanja Vidic
- Date of Birth: October 21, 1981
- Nationality: Serbian
- Teams played for:
- Jedinstvo Užice (Youth Club, 1989-1994)
- Sloboda Užice (Youth Club, 1994-1996)
- Red Star Belgrade (Youth Club, 1996-2000)
- Spartak Moscow (2004-2006)
- Manchester United (2006-2014)
- Inter Milan (2014-2016)
- Positions played: Centre-Back
- Trophies won:
- With Red Star Belgrade:
- Serbian SuperLiga: 2000-2001, 2003-2004
- FR Yugoslavia Cup: 2001-2002, 2003-2004
- With Manchester United:
- Premier League: 2006-2007, 2007-2008, 2008-2009, 2010-2011, 2012-2013
- FA Cup: 2005-2006, 2008-2009
- League Cup: 2008-2009, 2009-2010
- Community Shield: 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2013
- UEFA Champions League: 2007-2008
- FIFA Club World Cup: 2008
- With Inter Milan:
- Serie A: 2014-2015
- With Red Star Belgrade:
- Other significant achievements:
- PFA Team of the Year: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011
- FIFA/FIFPro World XI: 2009, 2011
In 2009 and 2010, he was named Premier League Player of the Year. Vidic had played for Red Star Belgrade and Spartak Moscow before joining United. Between 2002 and 2014, he also played 84 times for the Serbian national team. Vidic was noted for his harsh tackling style of play and ability to set a good example as a captain.
Vidic has held football directing responsibilities since retiring from playing in 2014. He served as the sporting director of Serbian club Partizan Belgrade from 2017 to 2019, before leaving. Vidic has mentioned that he intends to coach in the future but is currently focused on his family.
He is largely regarded as one of the best defenders of his generation, and he was instrumental in Manchester United’s success under Sir Alex Ferguson. During his illustrious playing career, Vidic developed a legacy of great defending, commitment, and a winning mindset.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is an English professional footballer who currently plays for Liverpool and the England national team as a midfielder. The 29-year-old began his career with Southampton’s junior academy before joining Arsenal in 2011 and appearing in over 200 games. Oxlade-Chamberlain joined Liverpool for £35 million in 2017.
Stats:
- Name: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
- Date of Birth: August 15, 1993
- Nationality: English
- Teams Played for:
- Southampton FC (Youth Club) – 2000-2010
- Arsenal FC – 2011-2017
- Liverpool FC – 2017-2023
- Besiktas JK – 2023-present
- Positions Played:
- Central Midfield
- Right Midfield
- Left Midfield
- Trophies Won:
- FA Cup with Arsenal – 2013-14
- FA Community Shield with Arsenal – 2014
- UEFA Champions League with Liverpool – 2018-19
- FIFA Club World Cup with Liverpool – 2019
- UEFA Super Cup with Liverpool – 2019
- Premier League with Liverpool – 2019-20
- Other Significant Achievements:
- England national team caps: 35
- England national team goals: 7
- England U21 national team caps: 8England U21 national team goals:
- England U19 national team caps:
- Arsenal Player of the Month: March 2012, September 2016
- PFA Fans’ Player of the Month: August 2016
- UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season: 2017-18
- PFA Young Player of the Year nominee: 2011-12
- PFA Team of the Year nominee: 2011-12
- Premier League Goal of the Season nominee: 2016-17
- BBC Goal of the Month: February 2019
- BBC Goal of the Season: 2019-20
He won the UEFA Champions League in 2019 and the Premier League title in 2020 after joining Liverpool. However, injuries have hampered his stay at Liverpool, including an ACL tear in 2018. Oxlade-Chamberlain is noted for his versatility, work rate, and ability to move forward with the ball when he is fit.
Oxlade-Chamberlain took a break from football in 2021 to work on recovering full fitness following long-term injury issues. He returned to competitive play in early 2022 and has since fought hard to reclaim his spot in Liverpool’s midfield. While competition for positions remains fierce under Jurgen Klopp, Oxlade-Chamberlain’s enthusiasm and ball-carrying abilities provide crucial squad depth.
Off the field, he volunteers for philanthropic causes through his own foundation, which helps needy youngsters. Oxlade-Chamberlain, who is only 29 years old, will want to add to his accolades as a crucial squad player for Liverpool as well as a senior part of the England national team in the future years.
Sunday Oliseh
Sunday Oliseh is a retired Nigerian professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder. He spent the majority of his club career in Europe, most notably with Ajax, Borussia Dortmund, and Juventus. Oliseh was also a key member of the Nigerian national team, earning over 60 caps and helping Nigeria win the 1994 African Cup of Nations.
Stats:
- Name: Sunday Ogochukwu Oliseh
- Date of Birth: September 14, 1974
- Nationality: Nigerian
- Teams Played for:
- Julius Berger Lagos (Youth Club, 1989-1990)
- RFC Liege (1990-1994)
- Reggiana (1994-1995)
- FC Köln (1995-1996)
- Ajax Amsterdam (1997-1999)
- Juventus (1999-2000)
- Borussia Dortmund (2000-2003)
- VfL Bochum (2003-2004)
- Gençlerbirliği (2004-2005)
- KRC Genk (2005-2006)
- Positions Played: Defensive Midfield, Centre-Back
- Trophies Won:
- African Cup of Nations (1994) – Nigeria
- Eredivisie (1997, 1998) – Ajax Amsterdam
- KNVB Cup (1998) – Ajax Amsterdam
- Dutch Super Cup (1997) – Ajax Amsterdam
- Significant Achievements:
- Played in three FIFA World Cups with the Nigerian national team (1994, 1998, 2002)
- Named to the CAF Team of the Year (1998)
- Inducted into the African Football Hall of Fame (2004)
- Coached the Nigerian national team (2015-2016)
He also represented Nigeria at the 1994 and 1998 FIFA World Cups as well as the 1996 Olympics, where he won a gold medal. Since retiring in 2007, Oliseh has worked as a football manager, most recently leading the Nigerian national team from 2015-2016.
As a player, Oliseh was known for his tenacious tackling, athleticism, and ability to read the game in front of him. He excelled as a defensive midfield shield in front of his team’s backline. In addition to club success in Europe, Oliseh also helped change the perception of African football on the global stage through his performances for Nigeria.
Since moving into management, he has faced some challenges but still hopes to achieve more success coaching in Africa. Oliseh currently resides in Nigeria and continues to be involved in the game he loves as both a former star player and up-and-coming coach.
Juan Carlos Plata
Juan Carlos Plata is a former professional footballer and current manager from Guatemala. He was a striker for the majority of his career and is regarded a Guatemalan national team great. Plata is Guatemala’s all-time best goal scorer, with 35 goals in 84 games between 1990 and 2007.
Stats:
- Name: Juan Carlos Plata
- Date of birth: January 1, 1971
- Nationality: Guatemalan
- Teams played for:
- CSD Municipal (Guatemala)
- Positions played: Attacker
- Trophies won:
- Guatemalan Champion Apertura: 7 times (2010, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2002, 2001)
- Guatemalan Champion Clausura: 6 times (2010, 2008, 2006, 2005, 2002, 2000)
- Guatemalan Champion: 4 times (1994, 1992, 1990, 1989)
- CONCACAF Champions League participant: 2 times (2010/11, 2008/09)
- Top goal scorer: Liga Nacional Clausura 2005/06 (11 goals), Liga Nacional Apertura 2005/06 (15 goals)
- Second highest goal scorer: Guatemala 1996/97 (4 goals)
- Gold Cup participant: 4 times (2003, 2002, 1998, 1996)
He spent the most of his playing career at the club level with C.S.D. Municipal in Guatemala, where he won three league titles. Plata was a prolific goal scorer recognized for his finish and movement in the box. Following his retirement from playing in 2010, he served as a manager in Guatemala with clubs such as C.S.D. Municipal and Deportivo Petapa.
Plata is widely recognized as one of the greatest players Guatemala has ever produced, having scored the most goals in the country’s history. He represented Guatemala in several CONCACAF Gold Cup competitions, as well as in FIFA World Cup qualification campaigns in 1998 and 2002.
With his achievements on the international scene, Plata brought pride to Guatemalan football. As a manager, he is presently guiding Deportivo Petapa to victory in Guatemala’s top league, capitalizing on his experiences as a former star player. Plata’s legacy is defined by the scoring records he established.
- Additionally, while playing for the club, Carlos won several awards, including 15 domestic league titles
- Five domestic cup titles, one domestic and two international titles.
- In his international career, he scored 35 goals in 86 international games.
Also, he played in the World Cup qualification processes of 1998, 2002, and 2006, scoring seven goals in 27 World Cup qualification matches.
His playing style was unique. He was not so much a physically gifted player, but his technical skills and positioning were out of this world, just phenomenal.
On 9th January 2011, Juan Carlos received a tribute. He played a friendly match between his team, CSD Municipal, and an informal team composed of former and active players who had played alongside him.
The number 15 was officially retired from CSD Municipal right after the game. The first and only soccer player in Guatemala to be granted the honor, thus forming part of the retired numbers in association soccer.
Ze Roberto
José Roberto da Silva Júnior, commonly known as Ze Roberto, is a Brazilian retired professional footballer who played as a left wing-back or midfielder. He spent the majority of his club career in Europe with Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Bayer Leverkusen, where he won multiple domestic and continental titles.
Stats:
- Date of birth: July 6, 1974
- Nationality: Brazilian
- Teams played for:
- Portuguesa (1994-1995)
- Real Madrid (1997-1998)
- Flamengo (1998-1999)
- Bayer Leverkusen (1999-2002)
- Bayern Munich (2002-2006)
- Santos (2006-2007)
- Hamburger SV (2007-2009)
- Al-Gharafa (2009-2011)
- Grêmio (2012-2014)
- Palmeiras (2014-2017)
- Positions played: Left Midfield, Central Midfield, Left-Back
- Trophies won:
- Bundesliga: 7 times (2002-03, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2007-08, 2009-10, 2012-13, 2014-15)
- DFB-Pokal: 4 times (2002-03, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2007-08)
- UEFA Champions League: 1 time (2000-01)
- Copa Libertadores: 1 time (2011)
- Copa do Brasil: 1 time (2015)
- Campeonato Paulista: 4 times (2003, 2004, 2006, 2007)
- Campeonato Gaúcho: 1 time (2018)
- Other significant achievements:
- FIFA World Cup: Runner-up (2002)
- Copa America: Runner-up (1995)
- FIFA Confederations Cup: Runner-up (1999)
- UEFA Cup: Runner-up (2001)
- Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: Top scorer (2006)
Ze Roberto was also an important member of the Brazilian national team from 1994 to 2006, earning over 50 caps and playing in the 1998 and 2006 World Cups. He played at the highest level well into his 40s, retiring in 2015 at the age of 41 while with Palmeiras. Ze Roberto was renowned for his excellent physical conditioning, stamina, and longevity throughout his career.
During his time in Germany with Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen, Ze Roberto established himself as one of the best Brazilian exports to the Bundesliga. In addition to league titles, he helped Bayern win the 2001 UEFA Champions League. After leaving Europe, he returned to Brazil where he continued performing strongly for Palmeiras into his final playing years.
He was a quick, hardworking, and versatile left-footed player, famous for his vision, marvelous style of play, dribbling passing, and tackling ability. He had an eye for reading the game and breaking down opposing plays, swiftly starting counterattacks, and this adeptness made him be recalled to the Brazil National Team.
Off the field, Ze Roberto has gone into coaching and currently manages Brazilian club São Paulo. He remains highly respected for his iconic career spent at the top level across two decades of professional soccer.
For long years, excellent soccer players have worn #15. Players with this number have excelled in many positions across eras, from defenders like Nemanja Vidic and Mats Hummels providing stability to midfielders like Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Ze Roberto controlling play. Sunday Oliseh, Juan Carlos Plata, and Daniel Sturridge also excelled for their national teams at #15. As the game progresses, more talented soccer players will claim the #15 shirt, adding to its distinguished history. Players of the highest caliber have worn the number 15 shirt for years.
Joel is a seasoned soccer journalist and analyst with many years of experience in the field. Joel specializes in game analysis, player profiles, transfer news, and has a keen eye for the tactical nuances of the game. He played at various levels in the game and coached teams - he is happy to share his insight with you.
