The Tottenham launches the "Legacy Numbers" initiative

The latest project to emerge in North London is named "Legacy Numbers," with the aim of honoring every player who has passed through the club's ranks since 1894, the year of the first professional match, to the present day. Starting from this Premier League match in which Postecoglou's team faces Crystal Palace, each player will take to the field with a small number printed on the back of their shirt, precisely in the area around the collar. Each number indicates the chronological order in which the player made their debut in a Tottenham shirt. Daniel Levy, chairman of the Spurs, emphasized: «Our initiative is our way of recognizing the contribution of those who have worn our colors with pride during the long and rich history of our club, creating a truly unique connection between players from our past, present, and future.»

For example, Heung-Min Son will take the field with the number 805, while, should he play, the latest debutant, Alejo Veliz, would display the number 879. But what are the chronological criteria for assigning each number? An interesting question, especially considering that Stanley Briggs, the player assigned the number 1, who made his debut in 1894, would have shared the field with ten other teammates. Alphabetical order prevails in the case where more than one player debuts at the same minute, in the same game, in the same year. And if two players come off the bench at the same time? The first debutant will be the one who steps onto the field first. Just another curiosity: among the players in the current squad, Hugo Lloris is the oldest debutant, assigned the number 781. It's an initiative as innovative as it is incredible, considering the massive study that must have gone into it. It's a beautiful day for football statistics and trivia enthusiasts, who can enjoy the complete list on the club's official website.