A goal has been scored in each of the 26 shirt numbers used at the World Cup. No goalkeeper has ever netted in the competition, but midfielder Osvaldo Ardiles was on target in the No1 jersey for Argentina against Hungary at Spain 1982. The Albiceleste handed out squad numbers alphabetically at the time, with first-choice goalkeeper Ubaldo Fillol wearing the No7 and only one exception: Diego Maradona was assigned his preferred No10.
World Cup squad sizes rose from 22 players to 23 for Korea/Japan 2002, and to 26 for Qatar 2022. Paraguay’s Nelson Cuevas, Argentina’s Enzo Fernandez, Japan’s Daizen Maeda and Portugal’s Goncalo Ramos became the first marksmen in the No23, No24, No25 and No26 respectively.
The highest-scoring shirt number are the No8 (158 goals), and No7 (179), the No11 (235), the No10 (315) and the No9 (322).
Top goalscorer in every World Cup shirt number
