Just like the famous number 1 Jersey in football is widely attributed to goalkeepers, the number 10 is widely attributed to attacking players such as the attacking midfielder or the winger, and the football Jersey number 22 has been widely attributed to be used by squad players.
These are players who are not part of the first team but can be occasionally brought in to help the team.
Although not widely sought after by new players. The number 22 is one of the jersey numbers wanted by players who can not get a number within 1-11.
Although mostly used by attacking players as well, the Jersey number 22 has managed to produce some iconic football players both on the club side as well as on the national team side.
In this article, we will be showing you famous soccer players who have worn the number 22 on their jerseys. So, without further ado, let us proceed –
- Di Maria
- Raphinha
- Hakim Ziyech
- Jude Bellingham
- Antonio Rudiger
- Theo Hernandez
- Ter Stegen
- Lautaro Martinez
- Kaká
- Paul Scholes
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10. Di Maria
Ángel Di María is one of the most famous footballers to wear the number 22 jersey, most notably during his time at Real Madrid and later at Juventus.
He joined Madrid in 2010 from Benfica for a €25 million fee and proved himself with goals and assists in both La Liga and the Champions League.
Wearing the number 22, Di María became known for his pace, creativity, and ability to deliver in big games.
He was instrumental in Madrid’s Copa del Rey win in 2011, their league title in 2012, and was named Man of the Match in the 2014 Champions League Final, helping secure “La Décima.”
Di María returned to the 22 shirt at Juventus, starting strong with a goal and an assist in his first match.
Despite injuries, he showed flashes of brilliance, including a Europa League hat-trick against Nantes.
His legacy with the number 22 is unforgettable.
9. Raphinha
Raphael Dias Belloli is a Brazilian international born on the 14th of December, 1996. He played for the English Premier League side, Leeds United, where he gained recognition amongst several top clubs, with Chelsea, Arsenal, and a host of other clubs interested in getting his signature.
He, however, later signed for FC Barcelona in the 2022 summer transfer, and since then, the player has grown to become one of the best players under FC Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez.
Raphael Dias Belloli currently wears the number 22 Jersey and seems to be following in the path of several Barcelona icons who have won the number 22 Jersey, such as Abidal and a lot of others.
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8. 
Hakim Ziyech proudly wore the number 22 jersey during his time at Chelsea. He joined the London club in the summer of 2020 after leaving Ajax, with Chelsea paying around €40 million for his transfer.
Ziyech made his Premier League debut in October 2020, scoring and assisting in his early games.
He also scored important goals in the Champions League, including against Atlético Madrid, and he was an integral part of Chelsea’s run to winning the 2021 UEFA Champions League.
Ziyech continued to wear the number 22 shirt in the following seasons, contributing to Chelsea’s UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup victories in 2021–22.
7. Jude Bellingham
Jude Bellingham is one of the most famous players to wear the number 22 shirt. He started at Birmingham City, where he made history as their youngest ever first-team player at just 16 years old.
In that debut season, he became a key player, scoring important goals and showing maturity beyond his age. His impact was so big that when he left in 2020, Birmingham retired the number 22 shirt to honor him.
That summer, Bellingham joined Borussia Dortmund, choosing to keep the number 22. In Germany, he developed into one of the best young midfielders in Europe, breaking records in the Bundesliga and Champions League.
He won the Bundesliga Player of the Season award in 2023 and even lifted the Kopa Trophy as the world’s best under-21 player. For both clubs, the number 22 became closely linked with his rise to stardom.
6. Antonio Rudiger
Fifth on our list of the top ten famous soccer players who wear the number 22 Jersey is Real Madrid player, Antonio Rudiger.
Born on the 3rd of March, 1993. Antonio Rudiger is a German international and Sierra Leonean who currently plays as a center-back for La Liga club Real Madrid and also the German national team.
He was signed by Real Madrid in the 2022 summer transfer window on a free transfer from Chelsea, and his contract with the Spanish side runs till 2026.
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He follows in the footsteps of Di Maria, who played for Real Madrid and in the English Premier League. The player had the option of choosing either the number 12 or the number 22, and he decided to go for the 22.
5. Theo Hernandez
Théo Bernard François Hernandez is a French football player born on 6th October 1997. He was born in Marseille of France, to Jean-François, a former Atletico Madrid star.
Theo Hernandez currently plays for Al-Hilal SFC, a Saudi Pro League team. He completed his transfer from AC Milan in July 2025 on a three-year contract reportedly worth around €25 million.
This move ended his six-year stint with AC Milan, where he had been a key player since 2019.
For France, he plays with the number 22 Jersey number and is known for his speed, goalscoring ability as a fullback, and great runs.
4. Ter Stegen
FC Barcelona star, Marc-Andre Ter Stegen, was born on the 30th of April in the year 1992. He has played a key role in Barcelona’s success in recent years since the club signed him. This includes the new Barcelona manager, Xavi Hernandez La Liga title charge.
Marc-Andre Ter Stegen has been playing for the German national team since 2012. Albeit, he has spent most of his time deputizing for Bayern Munich’s great goalkeeper, Manuel Neuer, who is also dubbed “The Wall”.
Nevertheless, there is no doubt about Ter Stegen’s goalkeeping skills, including his ball-playing ability, reflexes, and a lot of attributes.
3. Lautaro Martinez
Born in Bahía Blanca, Argentina, Lautaro Javier Martínez is an Argentine professional footballer and Inter Milan star.
He currently plays as a striker for the Argentina national team and Inter Milan, scoring several goals to help propel his team to the World Cup and Scudetto glory, respectively.
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Lautauro Javier Martinez currently wears the number 22 jersey for the Argentina national team.
2. Kaká
Kaká is one of the most popular players to wear the number 22 jersey, especially during his time at AC Milan.
He joined Milan in 2003 and became a key player, helping the team win the Serie A title in his debut season.
Over the years, he guided Milan to major successes, including the 2007 Champions League, where he finished as the tournament’s top scorer.
Kaká became one of the best midfielders in the world.
In 2007, he won the Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year. After a spell at Real Madrid, he returned to Milan in 2013, once again wearing his iconic number 22 shirt.
1. Paul Scholes
Paul Scholes is one of Manchester United’s greatest legends, and he first wore the number 22 shirt in the 1995–96 season.
That year, he stepped into the first team more regularly, filling in when Eric Cantona was suspended, and scored 14 goals as United won both the Premier League and FA Cup.
Scholes later became known for wearing number 18, but when he came out of retirement in 2012, he returned to his original number 22.
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In his second spell, he reminded everyone of his class, scoring in his comeback season and helping United fight for the title.
Across his career, Scholes won 11 Premier League titles, two Champions League trophies, and many more honors, making him one of the most decorated midfielders in English football.
Final Words
The jersey number 22 in soccer is one of the interesting jersey numbers in the game and has been worn by some top players over the years.
Therefore, there is a need for fans of the round leather game to know the best players who are wearing the jersey number in recent times. Ten of them have been listed in this article, and we encourage you to leverage this article in your soccer endeavors.
Kenneth is a an avid soccer follower, fan and writer. He is a consistent follower of the sport and is a fan of Chelsea FC.