8 famous players who donned the number 8 jersey
The major purpose of a jersey number is to differentiate the players on the pitch. However, football fans often associate their favourite players with the jersey number. For example, Cristiano Ronaldo is famously nicknamed CR7 by the footballing fraternity.
Although there are exceptions, the number 8 jersey is mostly worn by midfielders who have a keen eye for goal and can also create chances for the team. While legends are often associated with jersey numbers 7 or 10, there have been midfield maestros who have donned the number 8 jersey.
Let us take a look at eight famous players who sported the jersey number 8.
#1 Juninho Pernambucano (Lyon)
After spending the initial stages of his career in Brazil, Juninho joined the French club Olympique Lyonnais (Lyon) in 2001. Known for his exceptional free kick taking abilities, his vision and passing prowess made him an excellent playmaker as he racked up several assists and went on to score 100 goals for Lyon.
Lyon had never won the French Ligue 1 Championship until the arrival of Juninho. He then went on to lead Lyon to seven consecutive league titles.
During his stint at France, he was named in the Ligue 1 Team of the Year thrice and also awarded the Ligue 1 Player of the Year during the 2005-06 season.