Ronaldo to Mount: The history of Man United’s no 7 shirt

Manchester United completed the signing of Mason Mount from Chelsea for an initial £55m on Wednesday.

The overall fee for the England international midfielder could rise to £60m, depending on success and appearances.

He signed a five-year deal at Old Trafford that runs until the summer of 2028 and has the option to be extended by a further year.

Speaking shortly after the contract was signed, Mount said: “It’s never easy leaving the club where you grew up, but Manchester United will provide an exciting new challenge for the next phase of my career.

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“Having competed against them, I know just how strong a squad it is that I’m joining, and I can’t wait to be part of this group’s drive to win major trophies.”

Meanwhile, fans are keen to see how the Englishman fits into Ten Haag’s side, especially considering the shock announcement that he will wear the infamous no 7 shirt.

Searches for “Mason Mount number 7” is rising but given its reputation, will Mount write his name on the right side of the no 7’s history?

Here is a ranking by Live Football Tickets of the Manchester United players throughout history that have famously donned the no 7 jersey.

Cristiano Ronaldo takes the top spot
Ronaldo’s career at Manchester United has proved prolific, with a remarkable tally of 145 goals and 64 assists during his two distinct periods at the club. This equates to an impressive average of 0.6 goals or assists per game.

While he was unable to secure any major titles during his second stint with the team, as a rising star he got his hands on 10 trophies, spanning all competitions in which he competed, notably, his outstanding performance in 2008 earned him the prestigious Ballon d’Or award.

Ranking second is George Best
George Best falls just short of claiming the highest position, amassing 137 goals and 3 assists in his 355 appearances for the club. This equates to an average of 0.39 goals or assists per game.

Best managed to win 6 trophies for the Red Devils and an incredible personal accolade in the Ballon d’Or, which has only ever been won by one other no 7 in United’s history – Cristiano Ronaldo.

Rounding off the top three is David Beckham
Completing this iconic trio of players is David Beckham, who achieved a remarkable record with 85 goals and 120 assists during his tenure at Manchester United. This amounts to an impressive average of 0.52 goals or assists per game.

Beckham managed to accumulate a phenomenal 14 trophies in his time under Alex Ferguson, including a treble in the 98/99 season – an achievement which had only been achieved by this squad in the history of English football, until this year, when Pep Guradiola’s Manchester City team joined the exclusive club.

Manchester United’s most prolific no 7’s

The fall of the number seven shirt
Taking the bottom three spots in the rankings are Angel Di Maria, Memphis Depay, and Alexis Sanchez.

All of these are signings in the club’s more recent years, which has led fans to believe that the weight that the no 7 shirt carries, proves a burden too heavy for anyone who it is bestowed upon.

The trio managed to accumulate 16 goals and 27 assists collectively across the span of a combined 130 games – a statistic that United fans will want to forget.

Mason Mount’s time at Chelsea
Mason Mount has been with Chelsea through different levels for a total of 18 years. He started from youth, featuring for the under 18’s and under 19’s professionally to move onto stints at clubs such as Vitesse and Derby.

Mount then eventually returned to Chelsea to start his Premier League career for the first team, which saw him feature 195 times where he scored 33 goals and assisted 37 more.

This amounts to 0.36 goals or assists per game, only 0.03 different to George Best. The Englishman has also won the Club World Cup, the UEFA Supercup and the Champions League – a collection of trophies that Manchester United fans would happily add to their future trophy cabinet.

How does Mount fit in the no 7 shirt?
Stefan Balkenende from Live Football Tickets said: “Manchester United’s history showcases a lineage of prolific goal scorers who have donned the iconic No. 7 shirt.

“However, Mason Mount breaks the mold as an attacking midfielder, a position typically associated with the No. 10 role. This presents many questions to fans as to what position he may take on at the club, fueling their excitement for the new season.

“Another hurdle that Mount will have to navigate, is the curse of the no 7 – as many Manchester United fans believe that the shirt number bears too much pressure due to the legends who previously wore the shirt, having set the standard so high.

“The difference this time, however, lies in the fact that United has acquired a player who has already proven himself in the Premier League and has even won the Champions League. Therefore, the period of time required for Mount to adapt to his new role is expected to be significantly shorter.”