Football: Top players to wear No.7 for Manchester United in the Premier League

Nine players have worn the jersey ever since official squad numbers were introduced in the 1993-94 season, but here are the top five players who pulled it off better than the other.

Edinson Cavani

Despite Cavani's brief tenure wearing the number seven jersey, his supporters adored him while wearing it. The all-time greatest scorer for Paris Saint-Germain arrived at Old Trafford on a free transfer in 2020 and finished his rookie season with 17 goals in 39 appearances across all competitions. After Ronaldo's return, the Uruguayan international took the shirt away and lost his appeal while wearing No. 21. Cavani received a heartfelt thank you from Ronaldo for his magnificent deed.

Michael Owen

Owen walked into Old Trafford during the last days of his career, and fans were surprised when the former Liverpool player wore the number seven shirt. In the pecking order, the striker was positioned behind Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov, and he spent his three years at the club fighting injuries. However, he still netted 17 times in 52 appearances, and his 96th-minute winner against Manchester City in 2009 will always be remembered. 

David Beckham

Football legend David Beckham is only third on the list, which implies how great the top two are. The former England player was already a well-known first-team member when he switched to the number seven shirt in 1997. The midfielder was the star of the club's most outstanding season, where United won the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League in 1998-99. Although his entry into Real Madrid in 2003 was controversial, the 45-year-old holds a special place in Old Trafford. 

Eric Cantona

Before Cantona in 1993, no one in the Premier League had ever worn the number seven. His unmatched legacy involves leading the club to four Premier League titles and two FA Cups before retiring in 1997. The former France international netted 82 goals in 185 appearances for United and is still believed to be one of the club's all-time greats.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Before Ronaldo inherited the number seven from Beckham in 2003, people had pinned their expectations onto his successor. However, the winger grew to become one of the most celebrated players in the world, winning three Premier League titles and the Champions League during his six-year stint at Old Trafford. Like Beckham and most football legends, Ronaldo joined Real Madrid in an £80million deal in 2009. He scoured back to Manchester United in 2021 for a second spell and still scored 24 goals in 38 appearances last term despite his team underperforming.