In this article, we will discuss some of the best soccer players who wear the number 18 jersey and showcase their talents to the world. As you know, this jersey number is not as famous or widely recognized as numbers 1 to 11, typically worn by starting players on the field. Numbers 12 and above are usually assigned to substitutes, so number 18 is less notable and not always in the spotlight. However, many players who wore the number 18 started their football careers with this number and later achieved great success for the club and country.
Many players have worn the number 18, but I will focus on those who reached the game’s top and made a global impact. These players not only brought innovation to the game but also showcased exceptional talent for both their clubs and countries. I will explain how they achieved success and became role models for other players.
Here’s a list of the 10 most famous footballers who have worn the number 18 jersey and performed brilliantly. We created this list based on the players’ global recognition, career achievements, and overall impact on the sport.
The top 10 most famous soccer players with the number 18
1. Roberto Baggio
Roberto Baggio was an Italian professional footballer who played as a forward and attacking midfielder. He is regarded as one of the best players of all time. In the 1994 World Cup, while playing for Italy, he delivered an outstanding performance, scoring five goals and leading his team to the final.
Over his career, he played 56 matches for Italy and scored 27 goals. In 1993, he was named Player of the Year and won the prestigious Ballon d’Or award. Throughout his club career, Baggio played for several top clubs, including Juventus, AC Milan, Bologna, and Inter Milan. He was also well-known for his distinctive hairstyle.
His career information is listed below:
Club Career:
Years | Team | Appearances |
1982-85 | Vicenza | 36 |
1985-90 | Fiorentina | 94 |
1990-95 | Juventus | 141 |
1995-97 | AC Milan | 51 |
1997-98 | Bologna | 30 |
1998-2000 | Inter Milan | 41 |
2000-04 | Brescia | 95 |
International Career:
Years | Team | Appearances |
1984 | Italy U16 | 4 |
1988-2004 | Italy | 56 |
2. Miroslav Klose
Klose was a German professional footballer who played as a striker. He holds the record for being the all-time top scorer for Germany and the all-time top scorer in World Cup history. He scored sixteen goals across four editions of the World Cup tournament. In 2006, while playing for Werder Bremen, he delivered an outstanding performance and won the German Player of the Year award.
Due to his impressive performances, he was signed by Bayern Munich, where he won two league titles between 2007 and 2011. In 2011, he moved to the Italian club Lazio, where he played for five years before retiring. He retired from the German national team after the 2014 World Cup. Klose was well known for his strength, timing, elevation, and heading accuracy. He possessed all the qualities of a center-forward, which made him highly effective in the penalty area due to his movement, turn, and positioning.
His career information is listed below:
Club Career:
Years | Team | Appearances |
1998-99 | FC 08 Homburg II | 15 |
1998-99 | FC 08 Homburg | 18 |
1999-2001 | 1 FC Kaiserslautern II | 50 |
1999-2004 | 1 FC Kaiserslautern | 120 |
2004-07 | Werder Bremen | 89 |
2007-11 | Bayern Munich | 98 |
2011-16 | Lazio | 139 |
International Career:
Years | Team | Appearances |
2001-14 | Germany | 137 |
3. Jurgen Klinsmann
Jürgen Klinsmann was a German professional footballer who played as a striker. He played for several clubs, including Tottenham Hotspur, Inter Milan, and Bayern Munich. He was also part of the West German team that won the 1990 FIFA World Cup. Klinsmann was one of the most prominent strikers in the 1990s, and he participated in six major tournaments while playing for Germany.
He also served as a soccer manager, leading the German national team to a third-place finish in 2006. Additionally, he managed major clubs, including Bayern München, and the national teams of the U.S.A. and South Korea.
His career information is listed below:
Club Career:
Years | Team | Appearances |
1981-84 | Stuttgarter Kickers | 61 |
1984-89 | VFB Stuttgart | 156 |
1989-92 | Inter Milan | 95 |
1992-94 | Monaco | 65 |
1994-95 | Tottenham Hospur | 41 |
1995-97 | Bayern Munich | 65 |
1997-98 | Sampdoria | 8 |
1997-98 | Tottenham Hotspur (Loan) | 15 |
2003 | Orange County Blue Star | 8 |
International Career:
Years | Team | Appearances |
1980-81 | West Germany U16 | 3 |
1984-85 | West Germany U21 | 8 |
1987-88 | West Germany Olympic | 14 |
1987-98 | West Germany/Germany | 108 |
4. Olivier Giroud
Olivier Giroud is a French professional footballer who plays as a striker. He has played for several top clubs during his career, including Arsenal, Chelsea, and AC Milan. He currently plays for Los Angeles FC, a Major League Soccer club.
Giroud debuted for the France national team in 2011 and earned 137 caps. He is the country’s top goal scorer. He won the 2018 World Cup with the national team and was a runner-up in the 2022 World Cup. Although often underrated, he possesses all the qualities of a top striker, including heading accuracy, physical strength, a powerful shot, and excellent link-up play.
His career information is listed below:
Club Career:
Years | Team | Appearances |
2005-08 | Grenoble | 23 |
2007-08 | Istres (Loan) | 33 |
2008-10 | Tours | 44 |
2010-12 | Montpellier | 73 |
2010 | Tours (Loan) | 17 |
2012-18 | Arsenal | 180 |
2018-21 | Chelsea | 75 |
2021-24 | AC Milan | 97 |
2021- | Los Angeles FC | 10 |
International Career:
Years | Team | Appearances |
2011-24 | France | 137 |
5. Paul Scholes
Paul Scholes was an English professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He spent his entire club career at Manchester United, scoring 150 goals in 700 appearances and winning 25 titles, including two UEFA Champions League titles and 11 Premier League titles. He was famous for his technical skills, accurate passing, intelligent movement, and long-range goal-scoring ability.
Paul Scholes served on the England national team from 1997 to 2004, earning 66 caps and playing in the 1998 and 2002 World Cups. He announced his retirement from the national team in August 2004. He also served Manchester United as a manager.
His career information is listed below:
Club Career:
Years | Team | Appearances |
1993-2011 | Manchester United | 466 |
2012-13 | Manchester United | 33 |
2018 | Royton Town | 2 |
International Career:
Years | Team | Appearances |
1993 | England U18 | 4 |
1997-2004 | England | 66 |
6. Jermain Defoe
Jermain Defoe is an English former professional footballer who played as a striker. Over his 20-year club career, he played for several teams, including West Ham United, AFC Bournemouth, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United, and Sunderland. He holds the record for the most goals scored as a substitute in Premier League history.
Defoe made his debut for the English national team in 2004, scoring 20 goals in 57 appearances. He also participated in the 2010 FIFA World Cup for England, where he scored one goal in three appearances.
His career information is listed below:
Club Career:
Years | Team | Appearances |
1999-2004 | West Ham United | 93 |
2000-01 | AFC Bournemouth (Loan) | 29 |
2004-08 | Tottenham Hotspur | 139 |
2008 | Portsmouth (Loan) | 1 |
2008-09 | Portsmouth | 30 |
2009-14 | Tottenham Hotspur | 135 |
2014 | Toronto FC | 19 |
2014 | Tottenham Hotspur (Loan) | 2 |
2015-17 | Sunderland | 87 |
2017-20 | AFC Bournemouth | 28 |
2019-20 | Rangers (Loan) | 37 |
2020-22 | Rangers | 17 |
2022 | Sunderland | 7 |
International Career:
Years | Team | Appearances |
2000-01 | England U18 | 7 |
2001-03 | England U21 | 23 |
2004-17 | England | 57 |
7. Trent Alexander-Arnold
Trent Alexander-Arnold is a professional English footballer who plays as a right-back and midfielder. He is considered one of the best right-backs in the world, known for his passing, crossing, and set-piece ability. Alexander-Arnold has spent his entire club career with Liverpool, joining the academy in his youth and continuing to play for the senior team. He made his senior debut in 2016 and has since won the Champions League and Premier League titles with Liverpool.
Alexander Armer made his debut for England in 2018. He also played for the England team in the 2018 World Cup, followed by the 2018 Championship, and was part of the team in the 2022 World Cup. So far, he has scored four goals in 33 appearances for the England national team.
His career information is listed below:
Club Career:
Years | Team | Appearances |
2016- | Liverpool | 235 |
International Career:
Years | Team | Appearances |
2013-14 | England U16 | 6 |
2014-15 | England U17 | 12 |
2016 | England U18 | 2 |
2016-17 | England U19 | 10 |
2017-18 | England U21 | 3 |
2018- | England | 33 |
8. Nicolo Barella
Niccolò Barella is a professional Italian footballer who plays as a central midfielder. He is known for his technical ability, creativity, and long-range passing. Throughout his club career, he has played for several teams, including Cagliari, Como, and Inter Milan. Since 2020, he has been playing for Inter Milan, where he has scored 15 goals in 149 appearances.
Barella made his debut for the Italian senior side in 2018 and has since scored 10 goals in 57 appearances for Italy. He possesses all the attributes a midfielder should have, such as technical vision, stamina, and physical strength.
His career information is listed below:
Club Career:
Years | Team | Appearances |
2015-20 | Cagliari | 105 |
2016 | Como | 16 |
2019-20 | Inter Milan (Loan) | 27 |
2020 | Inter Milan (Loan) | 150 |
International Career:
Years | Team | Appearances |
2012 | Italy U15 | 5 |
2012-13 | Italy U16 | 4 |
2013-14 | Italy U17 | 5 |
2014-15 | Italy U18 | 8 |
2015-16 | Italy U19 | 16 |
2016-17 | Italy U20 | 8 |
2017-19 | Italy U21 | 10 |
2018- | Italy | 57 |
9. Bruno Fernandes
Bruno Fernandes is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder. He has played for several clubs throughout his career, including Sampdoria, Sporting CP, Udinese, and currently Manchester United. He has scored 54 goals in 167 appearances. Fernandes is well known for his long-range passing, technical ability, and shooting from outside the box.
Bruno has played for Portugal’s youth teams, including the Under-19, Under-20, Under-21, and Under-23 sides. He made his debut for the Portugal senior team in 2017 and has remained a part of the squad since. He has participated in several international tournaments, including the FIFA World Cup in 2018 and 2022, as well as the UEFA European Championships in 2020 and 2024. To date, he has made 75 appearances and scored 24 goals.
His career information is listed below:
Club Career:
Years | Team | Appearances |
2012-13 | Novara | 23 |
2013-16 | Udinese | 86 |
2016-17 | Sampdoria | 33 |
2017-20 | Sporting CP | 83 |
2020- | Manchester United | 168 |
International Career:
Years | Team | Appearances |
2012 | Portugal U19 | 2 |
2014 | Portugal U20 | 5 |
2014-17 | Portugal U21 | 17 |
2016 | Portugal U23 | 4 |
2017- | Portugal U | 75 |
10. Ruben Neves
Robin Neves is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Al Hilal in the Saudi Pro League. He has played for three clubs during his career, including Porto, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Al Hilal. He is well-known for his technical, tactical, and mental qualities. In public interviews, he has expressed his desire to play in the UEFA Champions League.
He made his debut for Portugal in 2015, earning 60 caps, but is yet to score a goal. Additionally, Neves has participated in several international tournaments with the team, including the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the UEFA European Championships in 2020 and 2024.
His career information is listed below:
Club Career:
Years | Team | Appearances |
2014-17 | Porto | 59 |
2017-23 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 219 |
2023- | Al Hilal | 38 |
International Career:
Years | Team | Appearances |
2012 | Portugal U15 | 2 |
2012-13 | Portugal U16 | 10 |
2012-14 | Portugal U17 | 31 |
2013 | Portugal U18 | 2 |
2014-17 | Portugal U21 | 23 |
2016 | Portugal U23 | 1 |
2015- | Portugal | 54 |