The England number nine shirt has been handed to Tottenham Hotspur striker Peter Crouch for the World Cup in South Africa. Having scored 21 goals in 38 appearances, Crouch looks a worthy successor to previous wearers of the England number nine shirt; an illustrious list that includes Wayne Rooney, Nat Lofthouse and Bobby Charlton.
Bobby Charlton is probably the player who first comes to mind when thinking of past England number nines. The midfielder was an integral part of Alf Ramsey’s 1966 World Cup-winning side, playing in all 6 of England’s matches scoring 3 goals along the way. Charlton remains England’s record goal scorer, with 49 goals in 106 appearances – including, of course, that thunderbolt strike against Mexico at the 1966 World Cup.
Although less well-remembered, Nat Lofthouse’s goal scoring record for England is truly remarkable. The former Bolton Wanderers forward played for Walter Winterbottom’s England side at the 1954 World Cup Finals in Switzerland and, over the course of a glittering international career, scored 30 goals in just 33 games.
Four years ago, Sven Goran Eriksson named talismanic striker Wayne Rooney as England’s number nine for the tournament. The United forward would probably be the first to admit that, after breaking a metatarsal shortly before the start of England’s World Cup campaign, he achieved less than expected in Germany – something he will no doubt be keen to put right this time around.
Crouch knows what it feels like to score at the World Cup, having scored the winner in England’s group match against Trinidad and Tobago in 2006. Footballers and football supporters are notoriously superstitious, but few would read much into the fact that England’s number nine has failed to score at the last two World Cups. Crouch will be hoping manager Fabio Capello gives him the chance to add to his impressive goal scoring tally in South Africa.
Tags: Bobby Charlton, Peter Crouch, Wayne Rooney