Didi, Amancio, Michel, Schuster, Mijatovic… And now Kaka. During his presentation, it was revealed that the Madridista will wear the number ‘8’ shirt; a number full of history and already worn by several Real Madrid legends.

According to numerology, the number ‘8’ corresponds to intelligence, mental agility, sensitivity, ambition, willingness and the ability to adapt… All of which perfectly describe Kaka, who beginning next season will wear a number already worn by players who had their names written in the annals of the history of Real Madrid.

One of the first bearers of the number ‘8’ was none other than the Brazilian Didi, who joined Real Madrid in 1959 after winning the 1958 World Cup with the Seleção. Didi played alongside Di Stefano and Puskas to comprise one of the most feared offenses in football at the time.

Another player who left his mark with the number ‘8’ was Amancio Amaro, who arrived in 1962 from Deportivo Coruña and spent 14 seasons with Real Madrid. He first wore number ‘7’ but later changed to ‘8’, which he wore in the 1966 European Cup final won by Real Madrid against Partizan Belgrade.

Several other men wore the shirt after Amancio retired, but none compared to Michel. Brought up through the Madridista youth ranks, Michel debuted in 1982 but didn’t become a first team mainstay until 1984. For the next 12 years, until Michel left the club for Atletico Zelaya, number ‘8’ and the right flank of the Santiago Bernabeu belonged only to him.

Brazil, too 
Kaka should have no trouble at all carrying the burden of the ‘8’ shirt. He has already been put through a s similar situation with Brazil, for whom he has worn number ‘7’, ‘8’ and most recently, ‘10’. Prior to Kaka it was men like Ronaldinho and Rivaldo who sported the number… The same number worn by Pele and Zico.