A history of England's World Cup squad numbers

England’s squad numbers have been confirmed for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but how much do you know about the history of each of the famous shirts?

The 26 players called up to represent the Three Lions in North America join a select group of 235 men to have travelled with England to football’s flagship tournament, some of whom have become synonymous with certain shirts.

World Cup-winning captain, Bobby Moore, immediately springs to mind when you think of No6, while Sir David Beckham was iconic in the No7.

Here, we take a look at the history of our squad numbers, including some facts and figures you may not know about each shirt from one to eleven. We'll pick up the history with the numbers beyond eleven in a second edition on Wednesday, but let's start with the #1.

1: Jordan Pickford has become the first England goalkeeper to wear the No1 shirt at three World Cups following today’s announcement. He moves clear of Gordon Banks, Peter Shilton and David Seaman, who all wore it on two occasions.

England's Number 1s: 1950 – Bert Williams (686), 1954 – Gil Merrick (710), 1958 – Colin McDonald (768), 1962 - Ron Springett (786), 1966 & 1970 – Gordon Banks (816), 1982 – Ray Clemence (886), 1986 & 1990 – Peter Shilton (867), 1998 & 2002 – David Seaman (1007), 2006 – Paul Robinson (1121), 2010 – David James (1080), 2014 – Joe Hart (1155), 2018, 2022 & 2026– Jordan Pickford (1225)

2: 1950 – Alf Ramsey (677), 1954 – Ron Staniforth (727), 1958 – Don Howe (762), 1962 - Jimmy Armfield (778), 1966 – George Cohen (825), 1970 – Keith Newton (842), 1982 – Viv Anderson (936), 1986 & 1990 - Gary M Stevens (989), 1998 – Sol Campbell (1074), 2002 – Danny Mills (1110), 2006 – Gary Neville (1064), 2010 & 2014 – Glen Johnson (1128), 2018 & 2022 – Kyle Walker (1178), 2026 – Ezri Konsa (1279)

3: 1950 – John Aston (672) & Bill Eckersley (695), 1954 – Roger Byrne (728), 1958 – Tommy Banks (769), 1962 & 1966 - Ray Wilson (790), 1970 – Terry Cooper (859), 1982 – Trevor Brooking (896), 1986 – Kenny Sansom (937), 1990 – Stuart Pearce (999), 1998 – Graeme Le Saux (1051), 2002, 2006 & 2010 – Ashley Cole (1106), 2014 – Leighton Baines (1162), 2018 – Danny Rose (1213), 2022 – Luke Shaw (1201), 2026 - Nico O’Reilly (1296)

4: Declan Rice will wear the No4 again this summer, a shirt which has links to some of England’s most famous leaders. Former managers, Sir Bobby Robson and Glenn Hoddle, both donned the shirt at previous World Cups, while Billy Wright, Terry Butcher, Paul Ince, Steven Gerrard and Rice have all captained the Three Lions.

1950 & 1954– Billy Wright (658), 1958 – Eddie Clamp (770), 1962 – Bobby Robson (765), 1966 – Nobby Stiles (834), 1970 – Alan Mullery (833), 1982 – Terry Butcher (945), 1986 – Glenn Hoddle (940), 1990 – Neil Webb (1000), 1998 – Paul Ince (1044), 2002 – Trevor Sinclair (1112), 2006, 2010 & 2014 – Steven Gerrard (1099), 2018 – Eric Dier (1212), 2022 & 2026 Declan Rice (1241)

5: 1950– Laurie Hughes (694), 1954 – Syd Owen (731), 1958 – Billy Wright (658), 1962 – Peter Swan (791), 1966 – Jack Charlton (835), 1970 – Brian Labone (811), 1982 – Steve Coppell (932), 1986 – Alvin Martin (951), 1990 – Des Walker (1005), 1998 – Tony Adams (998), 2002, 2006 & 2010 – Rio Ferdinand (1083) 2010 - Michael Dawson (1164), 2014 – Gary Cahill (1168), 2018, 2022 & 2026 – John Stones (1208)

6: 1950 & 1954– Jimmy Dickinson (684), 1958 – Bill Slater (741), 1962 – Ron Flowers (747), 1966 & 1970 – Bobby Moore (804), 1982 – Steve Foster (954), 1986 & 1990 – Terry Butcher (945), 1998 – Gareth Southgate (1071), 2002 – Sol Campbell (1074), 2006 & 2010 – John Terry (1127), 2014 – Phil Jagielka (1156), 2018 & 2022– Harry Maguire (1223), 2026 – Marc Guehi (1268)

7: 1950 – Tom Finney (661), 1950 & 1954 Stanley Matthews (603), 1958 – Bryan Douglas (763), 1962 – John Connelly (783 ), 1966 – Alan Ball (837), 1970 – Francis Lee (856), 1982 – Kevin Keegan (887), 1986 & 1990 – Bryan Robson (941), 1998, 2002 & 2006 – David Beckham (1078), 2010 – Aaron Lennon (1143), 2014 – Jack Wilshere (1167), 2018 – Jesse Lingard (1217), 2022 – Jack Grealish (1251), 2026 – Bukayo Saka (1253)

8: Elliot Anderson takes the No8 shirt for Thomas Tuchel’s side, following in the footsteps of team-mate, Jordan Henderson. The midfielder will be in the shirt throughout the tournament, but that wasn’t the case back in 1950, when legendary Blackpool forward Stan Mortensen wore both the No8 and No10.

1950 – Wilf Mannion (662) & Stan Mortensen (667), 1954 – Ivor Broadis (714), 1958 – Bobby Robson (765), 1962 & 1966 – Jimmy Greaves (780), 1970 – Alan Ball (837), 1982 – Trevor Francis (926), 1986 - Ray Wilkins (922), 1990 – Chris Waddle (987), 1998 – David Batty (1026), 2002 – Paul Scholes (1082), 2006, 2010 & 2014 – Frank Lampard (1097), 2018 & 2022 – Jordan Henderson (1170), 2026 – Elliot Anderson (1294)

9: Harry Kane will wear the No.9 shirt for the third consecutive World Cup. The number associated with some of England’s greatest goalscorers has been worn by more players at the tournament than any other in the starting XI, with 15 men donning it in total.

1950 – Roy Bentley (682) & Jackie Milburn (675), 1954 – Nat Lofthouse (702) 1958 – Derek Kevan (759), 1962 – Gerry Hitchens (795), 1966 & 1970 – Bobby Charlton (767), 1982 – Glenn Hoddle (940), 1986 - Mark Hateley (981), 1990 – Peter Beardsley (995), 1998 – Alan Shearer (1040), 2002 – Robbie Fowler (1072), 2006 – Wayne Rooney (1125), 2010 – Peter Crouch (1139), 2014 – Daniel Sturridge (1179), 2018, 2022 & 2026 – Harry Kane (1207)

10: Jude Bellingham will hope to both create and score goals in the No10 this summer and, where the latter is concerned, he follows in the footsteps of some iconic strikers. Gary Lineker, Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney are No10s who feature in England’s top-ten highest goalscorers, while Sir Geoff Hurst wrote his name into the history books with a hat-trick in our victorious 1966 World Cup final.

1950 – Stan Mortensen (667) & Eddie Baily (696), 1954 – Tommy Taylor (719) 1958 & 1962 – Johnny Haynes (739), 1966 & 1970 – Geoff Hurst (843) 1982 – Terry McDermott (930), 1986 & 1990 - Gary Lineker (980), 1998 – Teddy Sheringham (1048), 2002 & 2006 – Michael Owen (1086), 2010 & 2014 – Wayne Rooney (1125), 2018 & 2022– Raheem Sterling (1190) 2026 – Jude Bellingham (1258)

11: 1950 – Jimmy Mullen (665), 1950, 1954 & 1958 - Tom Finney (661), 1962 – Bobby Charlton (767), 1966 – John Connelly (783), 1970 – Martin Peters (844), 1982 – Paul Mariner (928) 1986 – Chris Waddle (987), 1990 - John Barnes (966), 1998 – Steve McManaman (1060), 2002 – Emile Heskey (1094), 2006 & 2010 – Joe Cole (1107), 2014 – Danny Welbeck (1174), 2018 – Jamie Vardy (1209), 2022 & 2026 – Marcus Rashford (1215)