Not all jersey numbers are created equal. In most cases, players want to wear the first 11 numbers, as these numbers indicate that they are the starters on the team.
However, some players could take less important numbers, such as 15, put them on their backs, and deliver results to their teams. As a result, they made #15 a legendary number their fans remember. Who are these legendary players?
Legendary soccer players who wore number 15 are:
- Alexander Hleb
- Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain
- Bernd Schneider
- Eric Dier
- Fabinho
- Niklas Sule
- Marten De Roon
- Mats Hummels
- Piotr Trochowski
- Son Heung-Min
- Ze Roberto
This article examines these legendary players and how they transformed jersey number 15.
We also have articles on legendary players who have worn jersey numbers 13, 14, and 19, so feel free to check them out.
Table of Contents
Soccer Players Who Wore Number 15
| Player name | Years Active | Country | Major Clubs Represented | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander Hleb | 1998 – 2019 | Belarus |
| Winger, Attacking midfielder |
| Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain | 2010 – | England |
| Midfielder |
| Bernd Schneider | 1991 – 2009 | Germany |
| Midfielder |
| Eric Dier | 2012 – | England |
| Defensive midfielder |
| Fabinho | 2012 – | Brazil |
| Defensive midfielder |
| Niklas Sule | 2012 – | Germany |
| Center back |
| Marten De Roon | 2010 – | Holland |
| Midfielder |
| Mats Hummels | 2006 – | Germany |
| Center back |
| Piotr Trochowski | 2002 – 2021 | Germany |
| Attacking midfielder |
| Son Heung-Min | 2010 – | South Korea |
| Forward |
| Ze Roberto | 1994 – 2017 | Brazil |
| Left wing back, winger |
Alexander Hleb
Hleb may best be remembered for his days with VFB Stuttgart and Arsenal. He frequently charged down the center or side of the field, trying to dribble past the defenders.
Once past, he usually sends a through pass to the strikers or floats in crosses. He is recognized for his great vision and ability to execute short, fast passes to his teammates. In fact, he was given the nickname ‘Sorcerer’s Apprentice’ by German fans.
Throughout his career, Hleb won many championships, including the La Liga, Spanish cup, and the UEFA Champions League with Barcelona. With Belarus, he received 80 caps and scored 6 goals.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was born the son of Mark Chamberlain, a former professional soccer player with the English team. That meant a large shoe to fill, and he did an excellent job, playing even better than his father.
He started off in the youth system of Southampton before breaking into prominence with the senior team. There, he earned a transfer to Arsenal, winning the FA Cup. He then moved to Liverpool, costing his new team 35 million pounds ($42 million) in transfer money.
With Liverpool, Oxlade-Chamberlain plays as a midfielder. Over 102 games with Liverpool, he netted 11 goals. He also won the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League with the team.
Bernd Schneider
You cannot mention number 15 without mentioning Bernd Schneider. Nicknamed ‘The White Brazilian,’ he is known for his speed and amazing dribbling skill. He also delivers ferocious and deadly accurate long-range shots and free kicks.
Schneider’s career is best remembered for his 10-year spell with Bayer Leverkusen. He was also, unfortunately, part of the ‘Bayer Neverkusen’ team that finished the 2001-02 season with three runners-up titles.
With Die Mannschaft, Schneider was part of the team that led Germany to the final of the 2002 World Cup. The pain of finishing 2002 with four runners-up titles was something Schneider shared with the legendary #13, Michael Ballack.
Eric Dier
If you are a fan of Dier, you should thank Portugal for nurturing his talents, despite him being an Englishman. As a teenager, Dier grew up in Portugal and was discovered as a talent by a local club, Sporting CP.
He later went on loan to Everton before being picked up by Tottenham Hotspur. Dier is known as a box-to-box defensive midfielder with the club who never fears getting in with the opposing players.
He is set to dominate and hold the starting position with Tottenham. He also plays the same role with the Three Lions, the English national team.
Fabinho
One of the greatest defensive midfielders in the world, Fabinho started his career in Brazil. He later earned a series of loan deals with European clubs before ending up in Monaco. His work ethic and prowess caught the attention of Jurgen Klopp, who brought him to Liverpool.
In Liverpool, Fabinho is known for his exceptional work rate, agility, and ability to win the ball back from opposing players. He can also play as a ‘third center-back’, and mark exceptional players such as Lionel Messi well.
Niklas Sule
Standing at 1.95M (6 ft 4 inches) and built like an NFL linebacker, Nicklas Sule was born to be a center-back. The height advantage allows him to win headers and defend against crosses well.
He has also used his heading skills to score goals, usually from set-piece situations such as corner kicks. Sule currently plays with Borussia Dortmund but has won many championships with his old club, Bayern Munich.
These include the Bundesliga and the UEFA Champions League. He also won the 2017 Confederations Cup with Die Mannschaft.
Marten De Roon
Marten De Roon earned his first senior appearances in the Dutch league with Sparta Rotterdam and Heerenveen. Later, he found himself playing in the Premier League with Middlesbrough.
However, his time with Atalanta may prove the most fruitful. He has spent 9 seasons there, playing 200-plus games for the club. He was part of the team that brought Atalanta to a historic 3rd place finish in Serie A in the 2018-19 season.
With the Dutch national team, De Roon played 35 games. He is expected to receive regular call-ups with Die Oranje as a trusted player of coach Ronald Koeman.
Mats Hummels
Mats Hummel’s career could be described as ‘proving the doubters wrong.’ He was originally discarded by his old club, but he was so good at his new club the old one paid good money to get him back.
Hummels developed under the youth system of Bayern Munich and was promoted to the senior team. But he could not secure a starting place and was picked up by Borussia Dortmund.
There, he was so good he helped Dortmund to the Bundesliga title and many other German championships. Bayern bit the bullet and brought him back in 2017, paying a fee of 38 million Euros ($40.5 million). That is one expensive mistake.
Piotr Trochowski
Trochowski may have a very Polish-sounding name, but he is a German national, playing in the Bundesliga and for Die Mannschaft. He may be best remembered as the creative mastermind, orchestrating attacks with SV Hamburg between 2005 – 2011.
An attacking midfielder, Trochowski is known for his ability to combine his speed, agility, and exceptional drilling ability to get past defenders. He won the Bundesliga and finished 3rd in the 2010 World Cup playing with the German national team.
Son Heung-Min
Son Heung-Min is considered one of the best-attacking midfielders in the world and one of the greatest Asian footballers of all time. A South Korean, Son spent years developing as a player with SV Hamburg in Germany before exploding in the Premier League with Tottenham Hotspur.
Son is known for his explosive speed and agility. He is also able to use both feet to pass, cross and shoot at goals as well. With the South Korean national team, Son has been a regular since 2010, playing 108 matches and scoring 35 goals.
Ze Roberto
Ze Roberto was another long-time player in the Bundesliga, having played most of his professional career with Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen. A prolific left winger, Roberto has terrorized defenders with his ability to charge down the flanks and float in crosses. He is also a great dribbler.
Ze Roberto was also, unfortunately, part of the ‘Bayer Neverkusen’ team that finished the 2001-02 season with three runners-up titles. However, at least he was not in the World Cup in 2002, despite having many times represented the Brazilian national team.
