Some famous number 16 football players include They played for the biggest clubs and represented their countries in international tournaments such as the European Championships or the FIFA World Cup. The players with number 16 shirts occupied the midfield, forward, goalkeeping and defending positions.

This list of famous number 16 football players was compiled after assessing factors such as individual honours, appearances, and international impact. We relied on Top Soccer Blog and Cheap Goals to provide the most accurate information.

Sergio Busquets is among the best number 16 soccer players globally. He is a product of Barcelona’s La Masia Academy and graduated to the senior team in 2008, debuting in La Liga on September 13. He wore number 16 between 2009 and 2010, then switched to five in the 2010 season after Carles Puyol’s retirement and requested that he don the jersey.

In 2011/12, Sergio Aguero scored the title-winning goal against Queens Park Rangers to win his first Premier League title. This was his first season, during which he wore the number 16 shirt until the 2014/15 campaign and then switched to number 10.

By the time he left the club in 2020/21, the forward had made 275 appearances and scored 184 goals, won five Premier League trophies, three FA Community Shields and an FA Cup title.

Arjen Robben is largely remembered for his long-standing service at Bayern Munich, but he wore the number 16 jersey at Chelsea. In 2004/05, he signed for the Blues from PSV Eindhoven and played in England for three years under Jose Mourinho. Robben played 106 games for the team and won two Premier League titles.

The former Manchester United captain is among the soccer players who wear number 16. Most of his success came during his time at the club when he lifted five Premier League titles, a Champions League trophy, the FA Cup and the English League Cup. The defensive midfielder represented England 34 times.

Jakub wore number 16 in all the clubs he played for. He also wore the same number for the Polish national team. The winger is the second most-capped player for his country with 109 appearances.

He competed in the UEFA European Championships 2012 and 2016, as well as the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Individually, Jakub received multiple awards, including the Polish Footballer of the Year Award in 2008 and 2010.

Edouard Mendy is among the soccer players with jersey number 16. He has won this at Reims, Rennes, Chelsea and Al Ahli. After joining Chelsea, he was touted as one of the best keepers and was named the 2021 Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper and the UEFA Champions League Goalkeeper of the Season.

The midfielder’s time at Arsenal remains the most prolific of his career. He joined the English club in 2008, played 262 games and scored 40 goals and 46 assists. He wore the 16 shirt from 2008 until 2015/16 when he changed to the number 8 shirt.

Apart from Arsenal, he also wore the same number at Rangers and Nice. Post his Arsenal career, Ramsey played for Juventus, and his contract at Cardiff City has reportedly been cancelled.

Marco Verratti has won the number 16 jersey in three seasons throughout his career at Delfino Pescara and PSG. He spent the first four seasons of his senior career at Pescara and then moved to France, where he established himself as a reliable midfielder. During this period, Verratti made 55 appearances for the Italian team and won the 2020 UEFA European Championships.

The Irishman is remembered for his tough tackles and on-field leadership. He contributed immensely to Manchester United's success in the 1990s, winning five Premier League titles, the FA Cup, and the Champions League, and was part of the treble-winning United team. Post his football career, Keane is a prominent football pundit known for his controversial takes on Sky.

De Rossi was a long-standing Roma player. He spent almost the entirety of his career at the club, having joined in 2001 and left in 2019. The midfielder played 616 games for the club and scored 63 goals. After leaving Roma, he joined Boca Juniors for a season and then hung up his boots. Internationally, De Rossi played 117 games for his country.

Cuadrado wore the number 16 shirt during his time at Juventus. In 2015/16, Chelsea loaned him for two years, and then Juve permanently signed him. He played for the team until 2023, making 314 appearances, scoring 26 goals, and providing 56 assists. After he left, the winger joined Inter Milan and currently represents Atlanta. For Colombia, Cuadrado has played 116 games.

The former German captain wore number 16 for the national team, Die Mannschaft. In 2004, Lahm debuted for the team, made 113 appearances, scored five goals and won the 2014 FIFA World Cup. In 2010, the right and left back took over the armband from Michael Ballack. He led the team to the 2014 FIFA World Cup victory under Joachim Löw and announced his retirement from international football.

Rodri is one of the finest holding midfielders in world football. He is a crucial part of the Manchester City team, and his absence due to injury has been cited as a key reason for City’s struggles.

In 2024, after winning the European Championship, he won the Ballon d’Or award. Additionally, the midfielder has won several trophies, including the Premier League, the FA Cup, and the UEFA Super Cup.

Mike Maignan has spent a significant part of his career at Lille and AC Milan. In 2015, he joined the Lille senior team and played there for six years, making 149 appearances. In 2021, Maignan joined AC Milan and has already played over 100 games. When it comes to the French national setup, he earned his first cap in 2019 and has played in the European Championship, the Nations League, and the FIFA World Cup.

Roberto Di Matteo played for Chelsea between 1996 and 2002, made 119 appearances and scored 15 goals. Before that, he played for Lazio, Aarau, Zurich and Schaffhausen. For Italy, he made 34 appearances between 1994 and 1998. Afterwards, Matteo transitioned into management and has handled several clubs, including Milton Keynes Dons, West Bromwich Albion and Chelsea.

Mathieu Flamini might not be the most memorable footballer, but after making his mark on the pitch, he is now doing it as a businessman. Flamini started his career at Marseille, graduated to its senior team, and then joined Arsenal. This is where Flamini made the most appearances at a single club, with 102 games. For the French team, Flamini made three appearances.

Antonio Rudiger wears number 16 for the German national team, which he has represented since 2014. In 2017, he won the FIFA Confederations Cup. Apart from that, he has played in the UEFA Euros 2020 and 2024 as well as the FIFA World Cup.

In 2019, Amad Diallo began his senior career at Atalanta. After two years, she moved to Old Trafford and was loaned to Rangers and Sunderland in the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Internationally, Diallo debuted for the Ivory Coast in 2021.

Fabien Barthez wore the number 16 jersey during his time at Olympique Marseille and the French national team. The goalkeeper started his senior club career at Toulouse and finished at Nantes. For the national team, he made 87 appearances and won the 1998 FIFA World Cup.

• English
• FA Cup

Rob Holding spent his youth career at Bolton Wanderers and graduated to the senior team in 2014. In 2016, Arsenal bought him, and he spent the next seven years at the Emirates. In 2023, Holding left the Gunners and joined Crystal Palace. He is yet to make his debut for the senior English national team.

These are the famous number 16 football players in the sport’s history. They are midfielders, defenders, goalkeepers and forwards. Internationally, some have won major honours such as the FIFA World Cup and the European Championships.

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