Manchester United has had great players come and go. Sir Bobby Charlton, Mark Hughes, and Roy Keane just to name a few. However, none of those players wore the No. 7 shirt. Ever since the 1960s, starting with George Best, some of the best United players have had the honor of wearing the No. 7.
George Best, 1963-1974
Maradonna good, Pele better, George Best. Undoubtedly, one of the most exciting players in United history, Best made his Red Devil's debut in 1963, at the age of 17. Dubbed, "the fifth Beattle" for his long hair, Best was a hit both on and off the pitch.
He won one league title and one European Cup with Manchester United before leaving in 1974, at the age of 27. In all, Best recorded 466 appearances for Manchester United in all competitions from 1963 to 1974, and scored 178 goals.
He was also an international for Northern Ireland where he scored 9 goals in 37 appearences. After he left United he went on to play for Fulham, the LA Aztecs, San Jose Earthquakes, and AFC Bournemouth. He retired with AFC at the age of 37.
Bryan Robson, 1981-1994
Unlike Best, Bryan Robson did not begin his career with Manchester United. Rather, he began his career with West Bromwich Albion (WBA). In 1981, Robson went to Old Trafford with then a British transfer fee record of 1.5 million pounds. When asked why he moved to United, he said: "Money wasn't my main motivation. I simply wanted to be a winner."
And a winner he was. He was soon made captain of United and won his first trophy in 1984, when he scored two goals against Brighton to help United win the FA Cup. In the 1990-1991 season, he became the first United captain to win the FA Cup three times. He also won the FA Premiership twice.
His stay at United was not to last though. Despite being the longest serving captain for United, he moved to Middlesbrough in 1994, where he stayed till his retirement in 1996. During his playing career, Robson was an international for Britain. During his 90 caps, he scored 26 goals.
After his playing career, Robson became a manager. He has been in charge of Middlesbrough (1994-2003), Bradford City (2003-2004), WBA (2004-2006), and Sheffield United (2007-2008).
Eric Cantona, 1992-1997
Known as King Eric and famous for putting up his jersey collar, he is probably the most controversial player to wear the No. 7 jersey.
Cantona joined Manchester United from Leeds in 1992, after they had finished 17th of 22 in the newly formed Premier League. Up to that point of the season, United was having a hard time scoring. When that changed as Cantona not only scored goals but allowed space for others to score as well.
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