Football is one of the most popular sports in the world, with millions of fans who follow their favorite teams and players closely.
However its not always the playing that fans pay attention.
Sometimes that is actually the jerseys, that watchers keep an eye out for.
In this article, we will focus on footballers who wear number 3.
Exploring this history, and quality players who wear a number that is traditionally associated with the left-back position.
Table of Contents
Premier League
1. Aston Villa: Diego Carlos
Diego Carlos is a Brazilian center-back who currently wears the number 3 jersey for Aston Villa.
The now 30-year-old joined the club in the summer of 2022 from Sevilla, where he made over 100 appearances.
Carlos is known for his physicality, speed as well and aerial ability, making him a formidable presence in the heart of the defense.
2. Chelsea: Marc Cucurella
Marc Cucurella is a Spanish left-back who wears the number 3 jersey for Chelsea.
Having progressed through the Barcelona ranks as a kid, he established himself on the scene for Getafe where he showed his quality.
It was his performances in Spain that impressed teams in England, with Brighton signing him and then a few years later Chelsea swooped in with a £55 million transfer.
Cucurella is known for his attacking prowess, with his pace and dribbling ability making him a constant threat down the left flank.
3. Liverpool: Wataru Endo
Newly wearing the number 3 jersey for Liverpool we have Wataru Endo a Japanese defensive midfielder who prior to his EPL played for Stuttgart.
It was in Germany that he was a standout performer in the Bundesliga making 99 caps for the side.
Endo’s signing may come at a suprise to Liverpool fans, but over time they will likely grow to like him as he shows tenacity and work rate, traits that fit with Klopp’s style.
4. Manchester City: Rúben Dias
At the age of 26 Rúben Dias has already won plenty in his career.
The Portuguese center-back who wears the number 3 jersey for Manchester City, joined the side in 2020.
Impressing in Portugal he was a standout performer for several years, showing quality beyond his years.
Dias has since shown his leadership and defensive ability in one of the world’s fastest leagues, making him a key player for both club and country.
5. Newcastle United: Paul Dummett
A squad player in Newcastle United Paul Dummett is a Welsh left-back who wears the number 3 jersey.
When it comes to loyalty, Paul is one of those players having been with the club since 2010.
Since then he has made 199 appearances for the magpies and has proven to be a reliable defender over the years.
Dummett is known for his work rate and defensive ability, making him a useful player at the age of 31.
6. West Ham United: Aaron Cresswell
Similar to Dummett, Aaron Cresswell is another long-serving left-back in the premier league who has the number 3 shirt number.
Playig for West Ham United he has been at the club since 2014, previously playing for Ipswich Town.
While Cresswell maybe more of a rotation player nowadays, he has tremendous crossing ability and set-piece prowess, still making him a valuable asset for the Hammers.
Bundesliga
In the Bundesliga, the number 3 jersey is usually worn by a central defender or a left-sided defender.
Here are some notable footballers who wear or have worn the number 3 jersey in the Bundesliga:
7. Min-Jae Kim (Bayern Munich, D)
Min-Jae Kim, also known as “The Monster,” was seen too many as the final piece to Bayern Munichs team.
One of the highest-paid South Korean defenders he currently plays for the Bavarians, after spells at Fenerbache and Napoli in where he won the league with in the 2022/23 campaign.
Kim is a physical and aggressive defender who is known for his aerial ability and ball-winning skills.
8. Piero Hincapie (Bayer Leverkusen, D)
Piero Hincapie is a Colombian defender who currently plays for Bayer Leverkusen.
However how long the young South American will be there is yet to be seen.
With him on seemingly everyones radar.
The reason for that is Hincapie is a versatile defender who can play both as a center-back and a left-back.
Aged just 20 he joined Bayer Leverkusen in the 2021/22 season and has quickly established himself as a regular starter, featuring over 58 games.
9. Ko Itakura (Borussia Monchundgladbach, D)
Born in Yokahama, Japan, Ko Itakura is a defender who currently plays for Borussia Monchundgladbach.
Itakura is a composed and technically gifted defender who can also play defensive midfielder because of his high passing ability and positional awareness.
Previously on the books of Manchester City, he played for Groningen and Schalke on loan before joining Borussia Monchundgladbach in the 2022/23 season.
10. William Pacho (Eintrhact Frankfurt, D)
William Pacho is another Colombian defender who currently plays for Eintrhact Frankfurt and wears the number 3 shirt for club.
Included in Ecuador’s 2022 World Cup squad, Pacho is a physical and aggressive defender who is known for his tackling ability and ball-winning skills.
He joined Eintrhact Frankfurt in the 2022/23 season, after helping Royal Antwerp achieve Champions League status last year and has quickly become a regular starter.
11. Pavel Kaderabek (Hoffenheim, D)
Veteran Pavel Kaderabek is a Czech defender who currently plays for Hoffenheim.
The experienced 31-year-old is a well versatile player, who can play on either flank of the defense and is known for his stamina, work rate, and crossing ability.
He joined Hoffenheim in the 2015/16 season and has since established himself as a key player for the team.
12. Christopher Lenz (RB Leipzig, D)
Having played for 5 other German clubs Christopher Lenz recently joined RB Leipzig for the 2023 season.
A defender who has become a reliable player over the years is a technically gifted defender who is known for his dribbling ability and crossing skills.
Serie A
Serie A is the top professional football league in Italy, and it is known for having some of the best defenders in the world. Here are some of the footballers who wear number 3 in Serie A:
13. Natan (Napoli)
Napoli went about replacing their Number 3 by getting in young starlet Natan from Red Bull Bragantino.
With a €10m transfer fee, they acquired the young Brazilian centre half, a player who is known for his physicality and toughness on the pitch.
14. Luca Pellegrini (Lazio SSC)
Luca Pellegrini is an Italian left-back who currently plays for Lazio SSC, despite coming through their rivals Roma youth system.
The 24-year-old joined the club in 2023 from Juventus after 3 successive loan spells.
I guess it’s quite fitting that the left-back, who plays as a left-back and is known for his speed and agility on the pitch, wears the number 3 shirt.
15. Ibanez (Al Ahli)
Ibanez is a Brazilian center-back who currently plays for Al Ahli in Saudi Arabia.
He joined the club in the summer of 2023 after making 67 appearances across two seasons in Rome.
The centre-half with bags of potential and who is known for his strength and aerial ability on the pitch now finds himself in the Middle East.
16. Cristiano Biraghi (Fiorentina)
Cristiano Biraghi is an Italian left-back who currently plays for Fiorentina and team for which he has made over 100 appearances.
He joined the club from Inter Milan in 2018, the same team in which nurtured him as a youngster.
Since then he has quickly become a reliable left-sided player in the Serie A, playing for numerous outfits.
Most notably the Italian is known for his technical ability and crossing skills on the pitch.
17. Kalidou Koulibaly (Al Hilal)
Kalidou Koulibaly is a Senegalese centre-back who currently plays for Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia and wears number 3.
He joined the club in 2021 from Napoli, where he had established himself as one of the best defenders in Serie A.
Previously at Napoli he spent his last calender year at Chelsea and he is known for his speed, strength, and tackling ability on the pitch.
Ligue 1
Ligue 1 is the top professional football league in France, and it has produced some of the best footballers in the world. The league has seen some great players wear the number 3 jersey, and here are some of the notable ones.
18. Presnel Kimpembe (PSG)
Presnel Kimpembe is a French professional footballer who currently plays as a centre-back for Paris Saint-Germain.
Since he has become a regular in the team Kimpembe has won multiple titles with the club, including the Ligue 1, Coupe de France, and Coupe de la Ligue.
Kimpembe is a physical presence on the pitch, who has both aerial abilities, as well as composure on the ball.
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