Over the years, In football, we’ve learned some numbers seems to possess some power that supersedes the performance of the player wearing it, we refer to it as a “cursed shirt”.

Since the year 2000, Chelsea No.9 has become a cursed shirt, we’ve seen notable names, proven goal scorers put on the shirt and still fail to live up to expectation.

Starting from a Hernan Crespo who didn’t do so badly but wasn’t decisive enough to the likes of Fernando Torres who was a natural goalscorer and was at the peak of his career to the relatively futuristic Alvaro Morata. What these players have in common is the ability to score but failed to do so wearing the cursed No.9.

However, leaving the blue London side of Britain and going to the red side of Manchester. A historic club with an enviable museum of trophies and a place where the majority of players dream came true, the theatre of dream Manchester United still cannot do without their own cursed jersey number but not a No 9 this time but a No 7.

Man United have seen great names put on the star like number 7, players like George Best, Eric Cantona, and Cristiano Ronaldo have shone like a day star wearing the super number 7 shirt for United. But since the departure of C.Ronaldo to the capital of Spain, no player has had a greater effect on the shirt.

United brought in a young Antonio Valencia gave him the No 7 shirt and he couldn’t prosper while wearing it only Micheal Owen had a memorable night while wearing the shirt number because he scored an incredible goal in an incredible derby match. The likes of Memphis Depay was worse off while putting on the number.

Having said all this, Cristiano Ronaldo smashed every record dead and alive at Real Madrid. He surpasses any expectation place before him, went on to build and achieved his own personal expectations, such player is extremely difficult to replace in all ramifications.

And his jersey number has all tendencies to be a curse to whoever worn it because the fans will always expect the new player to perform just like the previous super player. Judging by how Madrid fans treated Gareth Bale who hasn’t done badly if you look at his figure, I believe they won’t accept anything less than an extraordinary performance from Eden Hazard.

We wish him luck at the most demanding club in the whole of Europe.