The number 10 holds a special place in soccer lore. Itโs been worn by some of the greatest players in history.
Pele wore number 10. Diego Maradona wore it. Lionel Messi wears it. Interestingly, the reason the 10 became so iconic is kind of coincidental.
In soccer, much like baseball, each position on the pitch has a number attached to it. The 10 is the player just below the striker, and it takes a special talent to play that spot.
โThat position on the field creates the majority of the excitement, whether itโs through the passing or the running or the scoring,โ says Loyal SC manager Landon Donovan. โItโs a legendary number that just grows and grows and grows and thatโs why you see the best players in the world wear it.โ
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Today the 10 has moved beyond being position-specific. Itโs a number thatโs earned by the greatest or most important player on a club. In their inaugural year, San Diego Loyal SC didnโt have anyone wear 10, and that was by design.
โI wanted to take my time, very intentionally, to make sure the right person was wearing it at the right time,โ says Donovan.
The time is now. The player is Alejandro Guido.
โItโs an honor. Iโm really grateful to be trusted with the number 10. I think itโs a great match with me being from Chula Vista and being able to represent my home town, I think itโs awesome,โ says Guido.
A Mater Dei High alum, Guido has played for the U.S. Menโs National Team. As a professional heโs represented the Tijuana Xolos of Liga MX and LAFC of Major League Soccer. He says he was thrilled to join his hometown team and didnโt see the chance to wear the 10 coming.
โI didnโt ask for it. It was an honor when Donovan told me about it, especially from him being the greatest number 10 in U.S. history, itโs just an honor,โ says Guido.
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Donovan wore the 10 while scoring more points than anyone in MLS or USMNT history. He, as well as anyone, understands the importance of the number and had a set of very specific criteria for the man who would get it.
โOne, it has to be a really high-quality human being. That matters to me and important to our club. Two, it helps if you play that position naturally, which is what Guido plays. Itโs his position. Three, heโs from San Diego. Heโs from Chula Vista so itโs going to mean more to him than it would some foreign player or someone from a different part of the country. Four, you have to be a good soccer player. Guido is a great soccer player. His teammates love him and he makes us better. So, for me it was a no-brainer.โ
What all those great number 10โs have in common is they won championships. Thatโs something Guido and Loyal SC have a real shot at in 2021. San Diegoโs regular season schedule is expected to be announced soon.