10 greatest players to have worn the No. 9 shirt
It is goals that win games. Talking of goalscorers, some of the world's greatest in the role have donned the iconic No. 9 shirt - a jersey that is quintessentially associates with goals.
The traditional no. 9 role has evolved over the years - with the advent of false nines and changes in football tactics - but the role remains essentially the same - to find the back of the net.
On that note, let's take a look at the ten greatest no. 9s in the history of the game.
#10 Luis Suarez
Luis Suarez is one of the greatest no. 9s in the history of the game and is of a select few who is still active.
The Uruguay international is one of the most complete strikers of this generation - excelling in every aspect of attacking play. Suarez is extremely good in hold-up play and equally adept in finding the back of the net consistently or picking out a dangerous pass.
The 34-year old has excelled at every club he has played for; he won the Eredivisie with Ajax, League Cup with Liverpool, also propelling them to a strong title challenge, before enjoying his peak at Barcelona.
Suarez won two European Golden Boots during his time at the Camp Nou, scoring 195 goals and providing 112 assists. He also won four La Liga titles, four Copa Del Rey honours and a European treble in 2014-15.
#9 Robert Lewandowski
Polish hitman Robert Lewandowski is one of the most clinical finishers in the history of the game. Blessed with an innate poaching prowess, he has scored a staggering tally of 454 goals at four different clubs.
Lewandowski started his career at Polish club Znicz Pruszkow. After playing for a while for Lech Poznan, he made a move to neighbouring Germany, where he joined Borussia Dortmund.
It was at Dortmund where Lewandowski burst onto the scene, scoring 103 goals in 187 appearances and winning two Bundesliga titles with the Black and Yellow. After four seasons at the club, Poland's #9 moved to Dortmund's Der Klassiker rivals, Bayern Munich.
The 32-year old enhanced his reputation at Munich - winning eight consecutive Bundesliga titles along with a European treble and FIFA's 'The Best' award last season.
Lewandowski (73 goals) is third in the Champions League's all-time goalscorers list, while he the only one to make it to the Top 5 in less than 100 appearances (96).
#8 Filippo Inzaghi
Next up, we have the Bianconeri and AC Milan legend, and arguably Italy's best-ever no. 9 - Filippo Inzaghi.
Inzaghi enjoyed his most successful stint with the Rossoneri, where he won two Champions League titles, two Scudettos, and one FIFA Club World Cup and Coppa Italia title.
The no. 9 is the seventh-highest goalscorer for Italy and holds the record for most hat-tricks (10) in Serie A. In one of the best performances of his career, Inzaghi scored a brace against Liverpool in the 2007 Champions League final, helping the Rossoneri take a 2-1 victory.
Inzaghi was accomplished on the international stage as well, scoring 25 goals in 57 appearances for the national team. He won the 2006 FIFA World Cup and was a finalist in the 2000 Euros with the Azzurri.