The number 4 jersey in soccer has always carried a sense of authority. While some numbers in the game have been associated with flair, goals, or creativity, the number 4 often represents leadership, intelligence, and balance.
Traditionally, it has been linked with defenders or central midfielders, but history has shown that wearing the number 4 shirt is not just about position, it is about responsibility.
Players who wore this number have commanded respect, organized teams, and influenced games in ways that often went beyond the scoreline.
Unlike the number 10, which has become synonymous with playmakers, or the number 9, linked with goal scorers, the number 4 is more understated.
Yet some of the most reliable, resilient, and intelligent footballers to ever grace the pitch proudly wore this number. From legendary defenders to midfield generals, the jersey has seen some of the sport’s greatest ambassadors.
These players were not always the most glamorous names on the team sheet, but their contributions were often the foundation of their team’s success.
Let’s take a closer look at 10 of the greatest players to ever wear the number 4 jersey, each one leaving their own legacy on the game.
10. Virgil van Dijk
Virgil van Dijk is one of the modern era’s most dominant defenders, and at Liverpool, the number 4 jersey belongs to him. Since arriving from Southampton, van Dijk has transformed Liverpool’s defense and helped lead them to glory.
Calm, powerful, and commanding in the air, van Dijk has been the backbone of Jürgen Klopp’s side. With him in the number 4 shirt, Liverpool won the Champions League in 2019 and the Premier League in 2020, their first league title in 30 years.
Van Dijk is known not just for his defensive qualities but also for his leadership and composure. He rarely seems rushed, and his presence lifts those around him.
The number 4 jersey on his back has become a symbol of Liverpool’s rise to the top.
CHECK OUT | 10 Greatest Soccer Players Who Wore the Number 3 Jersey
9. Cesc Fàbregas
Cesc Fàbregas took the number 4 jersey at Arsenal and wore it with creativity and vision. Unlike many who wore the shirt in defense or defensive midfield, Fàbregas brought flair and invention to the role.
Arriving as a teenager from Barcelona, Fàbregas quickly became the heartbeat of Arsenal’s midfield.
His passing ability was extraordinary, always looking forward, always creating chances. Wearing number 4, he became captain and led by example.
Though he never won the Premier League with Arsenal, he left a lasting mark. Later at Barcelona and Chelsea, he continued to shine, winning league titles and trophies across Spain and England.
His number 4 shirt symbolized artistry in midfield.
8. Javier Zanetti
At Inter Milan, Zanetti became a symbol of loyalty and professionalism. For most of his career, he wore the number 4 jersey and embodied everything it stood for.
He was versatile, playing both in defense and midfield, but wherever he played, he gave everything. His stamina was legendary, his tackling precise, and his consistency unmatched.
Across two decades at Inter, he played over 850 games and was captain for many years.
He lifted five Serie A titles, a Champions League in 2010, and numerous domestic cups. Zanetti’s number 4 shirt became one of the most respected in Italy. Fans admired not only his talent but also his humility and commitment.
CHECK OUT | 10 Greatest Soccer Players Who Wore the Number 2 Jersey
7. Fernando Hierro
Hierro was the rock at the heart of Real Madrid’s defense during the 1990s and early 2000s. Wearing the number 4 jersey, he was captain, leader, and one of the most reliable defenders in Spain’s history.
Hierro was more than just a defender, though. He had an eye for goal and often played in midfield when needed.
His passing range, composure, and aerial dominance made him a complete player. With Real Madrid, he won five La Liga titles and three Champions Leagues.
For Spain, he earned over 80 caps and represented his country in multiple World Cups and European Championships.
Hierro’s number 4 shirt symbolized strength, versatility, and a winning mentality.
6. Ronald Koeman
Koeman may have been a defender by position, but he was one of the most prolific goal scorers to ever wear the number 4 jersey.
With over 200 career goals, many from free-kicks, Koeman was a unique talent.
At Barcelona, he wore number 4 and played a key role in Johan Cruyff’s “Dream Team.” He scored the winning goal in the 1992 European Cup final, delivering Barcelona’s first-ever triumph in the competition.
His powerful shot and composure made him a constant threat going forward, while his leadership at the back provided balance.
Koeman also represented the Netherlands with distinction, winning the 1988 European Championship.
The number 4 shirt on his back was a reminder that defenders could be match-winners too.
CHECK OUT | 10 Greatest Soccer Players Ever to Wear the Number 1 Jersey
5. Claude Makélélé
Claude Makelele’s name has become so influential that the defensive midfield role is often simply called the “Makélélé role.”
That is the kind of impact he had on the game while wearing the number 4 jersey.
Makélélé’s brilliance was not in flashy skills or long-range goals but in his ability to read the game better than almost anyone.
He anticipated passes, broke up opposition attacks, and gave his teammates the freedom to shine. At Chelsea, his arrival was a turning point. The team became defensively solid and went on to win back-to-back Premier League titles under José Mourinho.
Though underrated at times, Makélélé’s contribution was immense. He also shone at Real Madrid before moving to England, where his consistency in the number 4 shirt made him a legend.
4. Pep Guardiola
Before Pep Guardiola became one of the greatest managers of all time, he was a master in midfield for Barcelona. And during his playing days, the number 4 jersey was his symbol.
Guardiola was not the flashiest player, but he was intelligent and elegant in possession.
As a defensive midfielder, Guardiola played a role that was all about reading the game and dictating tempo.
He was the one who started attacks, controlled rhythm, and made sure Barcelona never lost their structure. His understanding of positioning and his passing ability set him apart.
Guardiola won six La Liga titles as a player, a Champions League, and numerous other trophies.
His career with the number 4 shirt was a blueprint for the way he would later see football as a coach.
Today, when you think of Pep as a manager, you can trace his ideas back to his time controlling games in the number 4 jersey.
CHECK OUT | 10 Best Soccer Drills for Solo Practice and Skill Improvement
3. Patrick Vieira
The Premier League has seen many great midfielders, but few carried the number 4 jersey with as much presence as Patrick Vieira.
At Arsenal, Vieira became the beating heart of Arsène Wenger’s team. Tall, strong, and relentless, he patrolled the midfield in the number 4 shirt like a commander.
Vieira was not just about power.
He had technique, vision, and a calmness on the ball that often gets overlooked. His passing range allowed Arsenal to transition smoothly from defense to attack, and his ability to dominate the middle of the pitch was unmatched during his peak.
The Frenchman won multiple league titles with Arsenal, including being captain of the famous “Invincibles” team of 2003–04 that went unbeaten through the league season.
For France, he lifted the World Cup in 1998 and the European Championship in 2000. Wearing number 4, Vieira defined leadership and balance in midfield.
2. Sergio Ramos
Sergio Ramos is one of the modern game’s most iconic defenders. For years at Real Madrid, Ramos wore the number 4 jersey and became a legend. He was the leader at the back, the captain, the man who delivered in the biggest moments.
Ramos was not just a defender; he had a knack for scoring crucial goals. From headers in Champions League finals to last-minute equalizers, he wrote his name into football folklore.
But his defensive qualities were just as important. Ramos had a unique mix of aggression, timing, and passion. He never shied away from a challenge, and he thrived on responsibility.
Wearing the number 4 shirt, Ramos helped Real Madrid win four Champions League titles in five years, La Liga titles, and countless other trophies.
For Spain, he played a key role in their golden era, winning the 2010 World Cup and two European Championships. He embodied the warrior spirit often linked with the number 4 shirt.
1. Franz Beckenbauer
You cannot start a conversation about the number 4 jersey without mentioning Franz Beckenbauer. Known as “Der Kaiser,” Beckenbauer completely redefined what it meant to be a defender.
He wore the number 4 shirt with Germany and Bayern Munich, and he turned it into a number associated with elegance and leadership.
Beckenbauer was not the kind of center-back who just stayed behind and cleared balls away. He was a pioneer of the “sweeper” or libero role, where he not only defended but also carried the ball forward and dictated play.
With the ball at his feet, he was as composed as any midfielder. He had vision, passing ability, and the calmness to control games from the back.
His honors are endless: three European Cups with Bayern Munich, a World Cup with West Germany as a player in 1974, and another as a manager in 1990. Few players in history have influenced the game as deeply as Beckenbauer.
The number 4 jersey on his back came to symbolize authority, style, and intelligence.
CHECK OUT | How to Prevent Burnout in Female Soccer Players: 10 Helpful Tips
