Why Muntari is wearing jersey number 10 at Accra Hearts of Oak

The laws of the game are against it but in exceptional cases, football clubs are granted special dispensation to allow players wear jersey numbers which were hitherto worn by a player of the same team in the same season.

Such is the case with Sulley Muntari’s ten-shirted jersey at Accra Hearts of Oak.

With Emmanuel Nettey wearing the same jersey number in the first half of the season, it was under normal circumstance not possible for any other player to wear the same jersey number.

But Hearts of Oak, after signing Muntari petitioned the Ghana Football Association to grant them special dispensation to allow the former Black Stars player wear the number-10 jersey.

The premise of their request was that Nettey had left the club and the jersey had no occupant.

The request which was made on February 4, 2021 was granted by the FA thus Muntari got the green light to wear number-10 for Hearts of Oak.

Precedence

The practise though unusual is not new to football. Just this season Manchester United were allowed to transfer their jersey number 7 from Edinson Cavani to Cristiano Ronaldo.

Manchester United made the request on the basis that the number 7 shirt is an iconic one for Cristiano Ronaldo.