General Football Question

[pineapple stu]

Dont mean to be pedantic but Ardiles wore #2 in 78. It was in 82 that he wore #1.

But yes you are correct that they were numbered alphabetically, except for Diego Armando.

Funnily enough England did the same in 82 with the exception of the goalkeepers and Kevin Keegan.

Fair enough; didn't realise that.

Holland did it in 78 too I think, except Cruyff, who kept his no 14. Dutch keeper was Jongbloed I think. Holland v Argentina in the final had numbers 5 and 8 in nets. Don't know who had no 1 though.

Edit - Cruyff wasn't around in 78 of course. Must check wikipedia...

Edit edit - wiki says Ruud Geels, a forward, wore no 1 in 74. Rather surprising name to be first in the list alphabetically! Norberto Alonso wore no 1 for Argentina in 78; Holland had another keeper at number 1. Anyone who was at 74 kept the same squad number, while newcomers were fitted in according to number. Poland in 74 had their three keepers numbered 1 to 3.