static variable in c++

/*
this example show where and how
static variables are used
*/

#include <iostream>
#include <string>

//doing "using namespace std" is generally a bad practice, this is an exception
using namespace std;

class Player
{
  int health = 200;
  string name = "Name";
  
  //static keyword
   static int count = 0;
public:
  //constructor
  Player(string set_name)
    :name{set_name}
  {
    count++;
  }
  
  //destructor
  ~Player()
  {
    count--;
  }
  
  int how_many_player_are_there()
  {
    return count;
  }
  
};

int main()
{
  Player* a = new Player("some name");
  cout << "Player count: " << *a.how_many_player_are_there() << std::endl;
  
  Player* b = new Player("some name");
  cout << "Player count: " << *a.how_many_player_are_there() << std::endl;
  
  delete a;
  
  cout << "Player count: " << *b.how_many_player_are_there() << std::endl;
}

/*output:
1
2
1
*/