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how many man u players didnt live up to no 7

How Many Man U Players Didn’t Live Up to No. 7?

Short answer: Since Cristiano Ronaldo left in 2009, six players have been handed the iconic No. 7 shirt at Manchester United, and five of them are widely regarded as having failed to live up to its legacy. A sixth, Edinson Cavani, actually did score 10 Premier League goals in 26 appearances with the No. 7 and is often seen as the first to partly “redeem” the shirt in the post‑Ronaldo era.

If you count from the start of the Premier League era (1992–93), including players like David Beckham, Eric Cantona, George Best (pre‑PL but often included in the legacy), and Cristiano Ronaldo, then only a handful truly “lived up” to No. 7 , while several others (Michael Owen, Alexis Sánchez, Ángel Di María, Memphis Depay, and arguably Mason Mount so far) are considered flops or underachievers relative to the shirt’s reputation.

Quick Scoop: The Number 7 Curse

Manchester United’s No. 7 is one of the most famous club shirts in football history, associated with legends like George Best, Eric Cantona, David Beckham, and Cristiano Ronaldo. But after Ronaldo’s departure in 2009, the shirt became widely described as “cursed” because few successors could match that level of impact.

Forum and media discussions often phrase it as:

“Since Ronaldo’s departure in 2009, five players have been handed the No.7 shirt, but none of them have been able to do justice to the reputation of the jersey.”

Another source adds:

“After Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure in 2009, six players have been given the number 7 shirt but none of them has lived up to the expectation of their predecessors.”

Cavani is the exception: he’s the only No. 7 after Ronaldo to reach double figures in Premier League goals at United.

The Post‑Ronaldo No. 7 Line‑Up

Here are the six players who wore No. 7 after Ronaldo, and how they’re generally viewed:

  1. Michael Owen (2009–2012)
    • Joined in his late 20s, near the end of his career.
    • Scored just 5 Premier League goals in 31 appearances.
    • Widely seen as unable to carry the No. 7 legacy.
  1. Antonio Valencia (2012–2013 as No. 7, then back to 25)
    • Popular, consistent player, but gave up the No. 7 after one season because he felt he didn’t perform well with it.
    • Scored only 1 Premier League goal in 30 games while wearing No. 7.
  1. Ángel Di María (2014–2015)
    • Huge signing from Real Madrid, expected to be a star.
    • Disappointment in England; scored few goals, left for PSG after one season.
    • Often called the “biggest disappointment” in the No. 7 history.
  1. Memphis Depay (2015–2017)
    • Young talent given the shirt, but failed to deliver consistently.
    • Only 2 Premier League goals before moving to Lyon.
  1. Alexis Sánchez (2018–2020)
    • One of the most expensive No. 7s, with huge wages.
    • Only 5 goals in 45 appearances; dubbed United’s “biggest nightmare” by some fans.
  1. Edinson Cavani (2020–2022)
    • First No. 7 after Ronaldo to score 10 Premier League goals (in 26 games).
    • Frequently described as the one who started to “lift the curse”.

So if you’re counting “didn’t live up to No. 7”:

  • If you count only the post‑Ronaldo era:
    • 6 players total as No. 7
    • 5 clearly failed (Owen, Valencia, Di María, Depay, Sánchez)
    • 1 (Cavani) is seen as at least partly successful
  • If you broaden to the whole Premier League era:
    • You also include Beckham and Cantona (who did live up to it)
    • And possibly Mason Mount (No. 7 since 2023, still early but often discussed as another high‑risk, high‑expectation No. 7).

Forum & Fan Takeaway

On various football forums and articles, the common sentiment is:

“Wearing the No. 7 jersey at Manchester United is considered a huge privilege. But in recent years, it has proven to be more of a burden.”

Fans and writers often list:

  • Legends who lived up to No. 7: George Best, Eric Cantona, David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo.
  • Players who didn’t: Michael Owen, Ángel Di María, Memphis Depay, Alexis Sánchez, and arguably Mason Mount (still unfolding).

TL;DR

  • Post‑Ronaldo No. 7s: 6 players
  • Clearly didn’t live up to No. 7: 5 (Owen, Valencia, Di María, Depay, Sánchez)
  • The one who did partly live up to it: Cavani

So the direct answer to “how many Man U players didn’t live up to No. 7?” in the modern, post‑Ronaldo era is five , with Cavani being the only notable exception so far.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.