Throughout the 2024/25 season, we're taking a look at some of the best players to have worn a range of squad numbers for West Ham United, since they were introduced for the start of the 1993/94 campaign.
Vote for your favourite No5 from the four chosen nominees below!
All West Ham No5s since 1993/94 | |
|---|---|
1993-1994 | 2004-2005 |
1994-1996 | 2005-2008 |
1996-1999 | 2008-2009 |
1999-2001 | 2010-2016 |
2001-2002 | 2016-2017 |
2002-2003 | 2017-2020 |
2003-2004 | 2020-present |
Anton Ferdinand
DOB: 18.02.85 WHU: 2003-2008 Apps: 163 Goals: 5
It’s safe to say that football runs in the Ferdinand family, with Anton, his brother Rio and cousin Les having all represented West Ham United throughout their storied careers.
Anton joined the Academy of Football as a nine-year-old, perhaps in brother Rio’s shadow, as he had already been handed the tag of the new Bobby Moore. But when Rio departed for Leeds United in November 2000, Anton was now the only Ferdinand at West Ham and could flourish in his own right - and he did just that.
Anton’s breakthrough at West Ham arrived in August 2003, when he made his debut against Preston North End and went on to cement his place in a promising team under Alan Pardew. He was instrumental in the Club’s promotion to the Premier League in 2004/05, where he made 36 appearances in all competitions, including the Play-Off final win against Preston.
Ferdinand reached a career zenith in 2005/06 when the Hammers finished ninth in the Premier League and made it all the way to the FA Cup final. The 39-year-old, who is now a Club Ambassador, left West Ham in 2008 for Sunderland, and enjoyed spells in Turkey, Thailand and Scotland before hanging up his boots in 2019.
James Tomkins
DOB: 29.03.89 WHU: 2008-2016 Apps: 243 Goals: 11
James Tomkins is rightly considered a modern-day hero at West Ham United for the unwavering loyalty he showed throughout his time in east London.
A Hammer since being spotted playing locally as a seven-year-old, he graduated through the Academy of Football to feature 243 times for the first team throughout an eight-year spell in the senior ranks, undoubtedly experiencing plenty of thrills and spills.
He made his Premier League debut in March 2008 in a 1-1 draw away to Everton, and with the squad depleted through injuries, he enjoyed an extended run in the first team for the remainder of the season, winning the Young Hammer of the Year for 2007/08.
But it was in 2011/12 that Tomkins began to finally make the position of centre-back his own, forging a strong partnership with Winston Reid. An ever-present in defence with 47 appearances that season, he played an integral part as the Hammers won promotion back to the Premier League after defeating Blackpool in the Play-Off final, winning the Man of the Match award at Wembley. Tomkins was included in the PFA Championship Team of the Year, along with fellow Hammer Mark Noble, while also narrowly losing out on the Hammer of the Year crown to Noble.
Tomkins made the move to south London to join Crystal Palace in 2016 and went on to make 136 appearances for the Eagles across an eight-year stint.
Pablo Zabaleta
DOB: 16.01.85 WHU: 2017-2020 Apps: 80 Goals: 1
Pablo Zabaleta arrived at London Stadium aged 32 in the summer of 2017, having spent nine years at Manchester City, clocking up 333 appearances and becoming a huge crowd favourite at Etihad Stadium.
His 39 outings in all competitions during his first campaign helped the Hammers to a 13th-placed Premier League finish. Zabaleta similarly featured in 27 games the next campaign as West Ham recorded a mid-table top-flight finish.
The highly-decorated and hugely-experienced Argentina international full-back only played on 14 occasions throughout 2019/20 before calling time on a fantastic career that left him just a few games shy of 600 appearances, as well as winning 58 caps for his country.
Vladimír Coufal
DOB: 22.08.92 WHU: 2020-present Apps: 161 Goals: 0
Current No5 Vladimír Coufal has become a true favourite among the Claret and Blue Army since arriving from Slavia Prague in October 2020. A whole-hearted and versatile full-back, he stands up there with one of the best right-backs in the Club’s recent history.
The 47-time capped Czech Republic international has made quite the impact and has continued to demonstrate his class and professionalism in defence as part of Julen Lopetegui’s 2024/25 plans.
During an impressive first season in Claret and Blue, Coufal registered seven assists, while also finishing as runner-up in West Ham's Hammer of the Year award for 2020/21, behind Czech Republic compatriot Tomáš Souček.
The 32-year-old was also part of the team that lifted the UEFA Europa Conference League trophy in 2023, playing the full 90 minutes of the final triumph over Fiorentina, and is still waiting for that elusive first goal for the Club.
