After revealing Gareth Southgate's squad selection a few days ago, England's shirt numbers for the 2022 World Cup have now been announced.
England World Cup Shirt Numbers
World Cups and international football in general serve a reminder of simpler times in one way in particular; the numbers 1-23 being the only ones printed on the player's kits. This year of course, each nation is permitted to bring a 26 man squad to the tournament, so for the first time we will se the numbers 24, 25 and 26 on this particular stage.
The distribution of England's numbers doesn't really throw up any surprises, with the numbers 1-11 given to the most well established players and typical occupants of those positions. Kyle Walker gets the number 2, Luke Shaw 3, Kane 9 and so on. Declan Rice (4) and Jack Grealish(7) will wear numbers they have previously worn for both Ireland and England.
Some players have received the same number they wear for their clubs, like Eric Dier (15), Mason Mount (19) and Jude Bellingham, whose number 22 was infamously retired by Birmingham City when he left the club as a seventeen year old.
The "new" World Cup numbers have quite logically been given to the relative newcomers and players who most fit the description of "surprise inclusions". Calum Wilson will wear number 24, James Maddison 25 and Conor Gallagher 26. The full list is below.
England 2022 World Cup Squad Numbers
1 - Jordan Pickford
2 - Kyle Walker
3 - Luke Shaw
4 - Declan Rice
5 - John Stones
6 - Harry Maguire
7 - Jack Grealish
8 - Jordan Henderson
9 - Harry Kane
10 - Raheem Sterling
11 - Marcus Rashford
12 - Kieran Trippier
13 - Nick Pope
14 - Kalvin Phillips
15 - Eric Dier
16 - Conor Coady
17 - Bukayo Saka
18 - Trent Alexander-Arnold
19 - Mason Mount
20 - Phil Foden
21 - Ben White
22 - Jude Bellingham
23 - Aaron Ramsdale
24 - Callum Wilson
25 - James Maddison
26 - Conor Gallagher
Are you surprised by any of the numbers given out to England players? comment below.