The logic behind the numbers on a football jersey

Countries & Cities · Published 13 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In most sports, shirt numbers are tied to specific roles or personal legacies. However, during the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico, several nations abandoned these traditions for a strict alphabetical system. It was an era where your name on the roster dictated your number on the pitch.

The 1986 FIFA World Cup featured unique organizational quirks regarding squad numbering. While many teams followed traditional systems—where goalkeepers typically wear number 1 and positions are standardized—several nations opted for alphabetical ordering by surname. For example, the Mexican squad was organized alphabetically across the board, with only three notable exceptions: Daniel Passarella, Diego Maradona, and Jorge Valdano retained their preferred numbers of 6, 10, and 11 respectively. The tournament took place in Mexico. This specific roster list was organized by surname order.

Other nations applied a hybrid logic that balanced position and alphabetization. The Italian squad assigned traditional numbers to goalkeepers (1, 12, and 22) but then organized defenders, midfielders, wingers, and forwards into alphabetical blocks within those specific positional groups. Similarly, the French squad used an alphabetical system for their main roster while reserving the traditional goalkeeper shirts for their three keepers, with Michel Platini and Giresse keeping their favored 10 and 12 jerseys. Italy used numbers 2 through 8 for their backline. Their wingers were assigned the digits 16 and 17.

These variations highlight a period of transition in football's visual identity. While modern fans associate numbers with specific archetypes or 'star' status, the 1986 tournament showcased a more bureaucratic approach to squad management. Most teams were required to submit a roster of 22 players, though Bulgaria and South Korea notably broke this convention by only calling up two goalkeepers each instead of the standard three. Every nation had to provide a twenty-two player list. South Korea only included two keepers in their group.

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