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The kit number 22 in soccer is not a number you associate with gifted soccer players. However, a few players have proved this misconception wrong and bucked that trend.
Some soccer players with the number 22 have proven their spectacular skills and abilities, making it one of the most respectable numbers due to the legacies established by these players. Here we shall look at the players who have made themselves a name in the soccer arena while donning the number 22 shirt. So stick around as we explore:
- Their backgrounds,
- History in soccer,
- How they made it in the soccer world.
Unusual legendary stories of players with the number 22.
The Best Soccer Players With Number 22
Kaka – Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite
Kaká is widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest Brazilian footballers of all time. He began his professional career with So Paulo in Brazil before joining Serie A powerhouse AC Milan in 2003. Kaká became the focal point of some of Milan’s most successful squads, assisting them in winning two Champions League titles in 2003 and 2007, when he was crowned the competition’s best player.
Stats:
- Date of birth: April 22, 1982
- Nationality: Brazil
- Teams played for:
- FC São Paulo (1994-2003)
- AC Milan (2003-2009, 2013-2014)
- Real Madrid (2009-2013)
- Orlando City SC (2014-2017)
- Positions played: Attacking Midfield, Left Winger, Right Winger
- Trophies won:
- FIFA World Cup (Brazil): 2002
- Serie A (AC Milan): 2003-04, 2010-11
- UEFA Champions League (AC Milan): 2006-07
- FIFA Club World Cup (AC Milan): 2007
- Supercoppa Italiana (AC Milan): 2004
- La Liga (Real Madrid): 2011-12
- Copa del Rey (Real Madrid): 2010-11
- Other significant achievements:
- FIFA World Player of the Year: 2007
- Ballon d’Or: 2007
- UEFA Club Midfielder of the Year: 2006-07
- FIFA Confederations Cup Golden Ball: 2009
- FIFA Confederations Cup Silver Shoe: 2009
Kaká moved to Real Madrid for a then-world record sum in 2009, but he suffered with injuries. He returned to Milan two years later before concluding his career with Orlando City in the Major League Soccer. Kaká also played over 100 times for Brazil, winning the 2002 World Cup and was named the tournament’s best young player.
Kaká was undoubtedly the best player in the world between 2005 and 2009. From an attacking midfield position, he coupled excellent technical ability and physical strength with exceptional playmaking and goal scoring skills.
Kaká’s precision passing, dribbling, and eye for goal enabled him to dominate Europe’s top clubs and win multiple individual awards, including the Ballon d’Or in 2005. Despite later injuries, Kaká secured his position as one of the most complete attacking midfielders of his generation during extremely successful periods with Milan and Brazil.
Kwadwo Asamoah
Kwadwo Asamoah rose through the ranks of Italian club Udinese to become one of Ghana’s most promising midfielders. Between 2008 and 2018, Asamoah appeared in nearly 200 Serie A games for Udinese, earning a reputation as a hardworking box-to-box player with strong technical skills. His performances landed him a high-profile move to Juventus in 2012, where he played six seasons and won six major domestic trophies.
Stats:
- Date of birth: December 9, 1988
- Nationality: Ghanaian
- Teams played for:
- Deportivo FC
- Kaaseman F.C.
- Udinese Calcio
- Juventus FC
- Cagliari Calcio
- Positions played: Left Midfield, Left-Back, Central Midfield
- Trophies won:
- Serie A (6 times with Juventus)
- Coppa Italia (4 times with Juventus)
- Supercoppa Italiana (3 times with Juventus)
- Serie B (1 time with Udinese)
- Other significant achievements:
- Ghana Player of the Year (2012, 2013)
- CAF Team of the Year (2013, 2014)
- UEFA Europa League Squad of the Season (2017)
With his remarkable stamina, Asamoah was versatile enough to play anywhere on the left side of midfield or as a left-back. He played over 70 times for Ghana’s national team and was a member of their squads for three Africa Cup of Nations competitions between 2008 and 2015.
Following his departure from Juventus, Asamoah had brief stints at Inter Milan in Italy and Shanghai Shenhua in China before retiring in 2021. His prime years, however, were spent in black and white for Juventus, where he was part of a dominant midfield that helped the Old Lady win successive league and cup doubles.
Asamoah is primarily known for his strength, stamina, and ability to read the game. A predominantly left-footed player makes him defend and pass the ball very swiftly. Additionally, his agility and great vision make him initiate attack runs and get good offensive positions to create chances for teammates to score or pave the way through balls.
Paul Scholes
Paul Scholes is an English soccer coach, a former professional player, and currently a co-owner of Salford City. He spent his whole professional career at the Premier League club Manchester United, where he scored over 150 goals in 718 appearances.
He is the third-highest in club appearances in the two decades between 1993 and 2013. He is considered among the best midfielders of his generation and one of the best and most iconic players of Manchester United. He mostly rocked the number 22 jersey throughout his career, and when he took over the number 18 jersey, he played for a short while then reclaimed his number.
He started his career when he joined Manchester United Youth Academy under the management of Sir Alex Ferguson. He made his full debut for Manchester United in the 1994-95 season.
- In 1997-2004, he represented the England National Team, playing 66 times and participating in the 1998 and 2002 FIFA World Cups
- He also played in the UEFA Euro 2000 and Euro 2004 tournaments
- Scholes was additionally named in the Premier League 10 Seasons Awards (1992 -93 to 2001-02) Domestic
- Overall Team of the Decade
- In 2008, Scholes was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame
He is defined as the complete midfielder, undoubtedly the greatest of his generation, making him in his own class.
Whether it was dashing into the box and unleashing a sweetly-struck shot or commanding the game, he did it with profound elegance and precision, and his ability to read the game unsurpassed.
Eric Abidal
Eric Sylvain Abidal was born on 11th September 1979 at Saint-Genis-laval, France. He is a former French soccer player who played as a left-back or center-back.
He started playing with AS Lyon Duchere, an amateur team, progressing to play professionally for AS Monaco FC, where he made his League 1 debut in 2000 in a 3-0 home win against Toulouse FC. On June 29, 2009, Abidal signed a four-year contract with FC Barcelona, where he was given the number 22 jersey. With Barcelona, he won the La Liga seasons of 2008–09, 2009–10, 2006–2010–11, and 2012–13.
He also won the Copa Del Rey in 2008-09, 2011-12, the Super Copa de Espana and the UEFA Championship 2008-09, 2010-11, the UEFA Super Cup in 2009 2011, and won two FIFA Club World Cups, in 2009 and 2011.
After retiring, he returned to Barcelona in June 2018 as the club’s Director of Soccer. However, he didn’t stay long. He was sacked on 18th August 2020 after an 8-2 defeat against FC Bayern Munich in the Championship League Quarter-Finals.
Abidal was tactically intelligent and a versatile defender capable of featuring as a center or left-back because he could read the game and position himself intelligently.
In addition, in his prime career, he was quick and decisive, allowing him to run up the wing and assist his team offensively and defensively.
Isco
Isco is an offensive midfielder who spent nine years at Real Madrid, when he became one of the league’s most skilled playmakers. Isco, who was born in Málaga in 1992, joined Real Madrid’s development academy in 2013 after excelling with Málaga. Under managers Carlo Ancelotti and Zinedine Zidane, he rapidly established himself as a regular starter in midfield, where he used his close ball control, creativity, and eye for a pass to great advantage.
Stats:
- Date of birth: April 21, 1992
- Nationality: Spain
- Teams played for: Real Betis Sevilla, Real Madrid, Málaga CF, Valencia CF
- Positions played: Attacking Midfield
- Trophies won:
- 5x Champions League (Real Madrid)
- 5x FIFA Club World Cup (Real Madrid)
- 3x Spanish Champion (Real Madrid)
- 3x UEFA Super Cup (Real Madrid)
- 1x Spanish Cup (Real Madrid)
- 3x Spanish Super Cup (Real Madrid)
- 1x European Under-21 Champion (Spain U21)
- Other significant achievements:
- 1x World Cup participant (Spain)
- 1x Olympics participant (Spain Olympic Team)
- 1x Under-17 World Cup participant (Spain U17)
- 1x Under-20 World Cup participant (Spain U20)
- 1x Euro Under-17 participant (Spain U17)
- 1x European Under-21 participant (Spain U21)
- 12x Champions League participant
- 4x FIFA Club World Cup participant
Isco was a vital member of Real Madrid squads that won two LaLiga crowns and four Champions Leagues. However, as changing managers reduced his playing time, he went to Sevilla on a free transfer in 2022. Isco has almost 50 international caps for Spain and was a member of the squad that won Euro 2012.
With his low center of gravity and ability to glide past opponents, Isco established himself as one of the top dribblers in the game while at Real Madrid. Fans dubbed him “Magician” because he coupled technical ability with ball control and precision passing.
Isco thrived in a free role between the lines, where he could connect assaults and create scoring chances for teammates. After a period of less responsibility at Real Madrid, the 30-year-old will want to add to his career achievements and showcase his talents in his prime playing years at Sevilla.
Gaël Clichy
During his tenure at Arsenal and Manchester City, Gael Clichy established himself as one of the Premier League’s top left backs. The Frenchman began his career with Cannes before joining Arsenal at the age of 18 in 2003. He stayed with Arsenal for six years, making over 150 games and helping the club win the FA Cup in 2005. Clichy moved to Manchester City in 2010, where he won the FA Cup again in 2011.
Stats:
- Date of birth: July 26, 1985
- Nationality: French
- Teams played for: Arsenal FC, Manchester City, Basaksehir FK, Servette FC
- Positions played: Left-Back
- Trophies won:
- English Champion: 3 times (2013/14 with Manchester City, 2011/12 with Manchester City, 2003/04 with Arsenal FC)
- English FA Cup Winner: 1 time (2005 with Arsenal FC)
- English League Cup Winner: 2 times (2016 with Manchester City, 2014 with Manchester City)
- English Super Cup Winner: 2 times (2013 with Manchester City, 2005 with Arsenal FC)
- Turkish Champion: 1 time (2019/20 with Basaksehir FK)
- Champions League Runner-up: 1 time (2005/06 with Arsenal FC)
- Other significant achievements:
- Euro participant: 1 time (2012 with France)
- World Cup participant: 1 time (2010 with France)
- Euro Under-17 participant: 1 time (2002 with France U17)
- Champions League participant: 14 times
- Europa League participant: 3 times
Under Roberto Mancone, the defender was a major element of the City group that dominated English football, winning two Premier League titles. Clichy left City in 2017 and worked briefly in Turkey and Switzerland before retiring in 2021. He gained 20 international caps for France and was a member of their squad for UEFA Euro 2008.
Clichy was recognized throughout his career for his attacking instincts as a full-back who would frequently overlap on the wing. He gave his sides width and shown good technical ability, crossing, and an eye for goal. Clichy depended on his speed and stamina to shut down opponents on defense.
While injuries limited his playing time at times, the Frenchman enjoyed a great career in England’s top flight, establishing himself as one of the best French left backs of his generation during successful spells with Arsenal and Manchester City.
All of these players have made a name for themselves for their clubs and country, regardless of position. They represent the long history of the number 22 shirt. This resource provides soccer fans with information about some of the best soccer players to wear the number 22 as well as contemporary players from leagues around Europe and South America who are keeping the number 22 legacy alive.
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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.
