Football’s biggest curses including Aaron Ramsey and Drake as Chelsea star Tammy Abraham looks to overcome No9 shirt jinx – The Sun

TAMMY ABRAHAM is attempting to lift the curse of Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea's young striker has picked the No9 jersey for the upcoming season and scoffed at the prospect of a jinx being put on the shirt.

But when you consider the list of curses footballers and teams have endured below, Tammy better beware.

From selfies with Drake to tainted shirt numbers, SunSport takes a look at some of the best stories:

AARON RAMSEY

Celebrities, beware the Ramsey goal.

Arsenal's former midfielder, who switched to Juventus this summer, developed an infamous record for scoring just before well-known figures passed away.

Singer Whitney Houston died hours after Ramsey helped Arsenal to a win over Southampton in 2012, while actor Alan Rickman passed away the day after the Welshman struck against Liverpool.

Also on the list is Steve Jobs, Osama Bin Laden, Muammar Gaddafi, Rubin Carter, Paul Walker, Robin Williams and David Bowie.

CHELSEA'S NO9

Abraham has taken the cursed No9 jersey under Frank Lampard this season.

Chelsea's great hope during their transfer ban takes on the number after previous wearers' failed to live up to expectation.

Gonzalo Higuain is the latest to flop with the number on his back, having scored just five times for Chelsea last season.

Before him was Alvaro Morata, Fernando Torres, Radamel Falcao and Mateja Kezman who all wore the shirt and failed to live up to the billing.

Abraham said: "I’ve heard all the rubbish about the No 9. I’m here to play my game and do my best."

DRAKE

Millions of music fans are desperate for a selfie with rapper Drake.

But after an unwanted trend began to emerge within the sporting world, more fool the athletes who get snapped with the Canadian superstar.

For Paul Pogba has been among the victims of Drake's jinx, having been snapped with him hours before Man Utd were beaten 2-1 by Wolves in the FA Cup.

Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang posed alongside the singer before being beaten by Everton, while boxer Anthony Joshua made the mistake hours before losing his world heavyweight crown.

In the words of the man himself: Take Care.

BIRMINGHAM'S ROMANI GYPSIES

It is said that Birmingham's St Andrew's stadium was built on land being used by Romani Gypsies.

Their departure led to a curse being placed on the ground and, thereafter, 100 years of bad luck put upon the Blues.

That first season saw the Midlands club relegated and, during the Second World War, the main stand burned down.

Former winger Barry Fry attempted to remedy the club of its problem by using his own special formula.

Fry reportedly said: "We called in a bloke to lift the curse and he told me that the only way to fix it was to go and have a pee in all four corners of the ground.

“I am not normally superstitious but after three months I was willing to try anything so I went and took a leak on all four corner flags. It took me a while – it’s not that easy."

RACING'S DEAD CATS

Argentine giants Racing Club were one of the most successful clubs in South America in the 1960s.

But after winning Copa Libertadores and the Intercontinental Cup in 1967, that trend hit a sudden halt.

And legend claims this is down to a group of rival Independiente fans breaking into Racing's stadium and burying seven DEAD cats under the pitch.

For the next decade and throughout the 1970s, Racing picked up no titles and were relegated from the top tier in 1983.

An attempt to end the curse was made by removing the cats – but only six could be found.

In 1998, Racing were declared bankrupt and a year later a priest performed an exorcism at the stadium.

It took until 2001 to find the final feline and, months later, Racing won their first Argentine title since 1966.

MAN UNITED'S NO7

Stamford Bridge isn't the only footballing powerhouse to have a cursed jersey.

Man United's No7 is one of the most famous shirts in world football, having been worn by David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo and George Best.

But since Ronaldo departed the Theatre of Dreams, the shirt has become a nightmare for many to wear.

For the likes of Michael Owen, Alexis Sanchez, Memphis Depay and Angel Di Maria, the number seven has hung heavy on the shoulders.

CURSE OF LEVERKUSEN

Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, German giants Bayer Leverkusen became known as the nearly men.

Or, more accurately, the Neverkusen men.

In 1997, 1999, 2000 AND 2002, Bayer Leverkusen were the club that finished second in the Bundesliga.

They only needed a point to win the title in 2000 but were pipped to the post.

And two years later they squandered a five-point lead by losing two of the final three games of the season to allow Borussia Dortmund to take the crown.

That was the same year that Zinedine Zidane scored the stunning Champions League final volley to end Bayer's hopes of winning the European title.

In Leverkusen, they see this as more than just bad luck.

GUTTMANN'S BENFICA

Hungarian boss Bela Guttmann left Porto for fierce rivals Benfica in 1959 and immediately led the Lisbon club to back-to-back titles.

Having dominated at domestic level, Guttmann ended Real Madrid's control of the European Cup.

But when he asked for a pay rise to reflect the incredible success, the club said no.

A furious Guttmann put a curse on the Portuguese club, with legend claiming he said: "Not in a hundred years from now will Benfica ever be European champions."

More than half a century on and Benfica still await a return to the pinnacle of European football.

They lost European finals in 1963, 1965 and 1968  after Guttmann left the club.

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