From Rice to Guimaraes: 10 Arsenal stars whose shirt number meant more

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There is something lovely about Bruno Guimaraes wanting to continue wearing 39 on the back of his shirt, the taxi number his dad drove while he was growing up.It’s a tribute to how hard his parents worked to help make his dream become a reality. Both flew to England specifically to watch their son sign for the Champions, with his dad in tears.It’s refreshing to know that no matter how much money some footballers make, they don’t forget where they come from.He’s not the only Gunner to pick a number for a particular reason.Here are 10 Gunners where the number mattered…Fabregas – 4Like most at the La Masia academy at the time, Cesc Fabregas idolised Pep Guardiola, the player.So as soon as Vieira left Highbury, Mr Wenger was asked by the teenage midfielder if he could have the number 4 shirt, as that’s the number his hero wore back in Spain.Barcelona, Chelsea, Monaco and Como all ensured this would be the case for the rest of his career.Gallas – 10It’s very rare for a defender to wear a number famously associated worldwide with being one of the team’s most creative talents.How much this was down to Gallas’s ego at the time is debated by Gooners to this day, but the way the Frenchman led a young dressing room made it look like the centre-back wanted to make things about himself.Coming from a winning dressing room at Stamford Bridge, Gallas had been asked to help lead a youthful squad. He either took the role too seriously and was over the top, or he truly thought he was better than his peers.Arteta & Jurrien Timber (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)Timber – 12Obviously, being identical twin brothers, it has always been hard to tell Jurrien apart from Quinten.To make things more complicated, the siblings grew up in the same Dutch academies together.Logically, coaches could tell who was who based on their shirt number and would joke this was the only way of knowing which Timber they were talking to or watching.This wasn’t an issue when the defender moved to England.Yet he wanted to keep 2 as a connection to his brother, but the number was already taken. So he compromised on 12, with the 2 referencing the twin identity.Adebayor – 25To give you an idea of what a legend Kanu is in Africa, when Adebayor became a Gunner, he wanted to wear the same number as the player he looked up to.The striker took that sentiment one step further, asking to wear number 4 for Togo because that’s what his hero mostly wore for Nigeria.Getting to play at Highbury in the final months before the stadium was closed down, Adebayor even asked if he could sit and dress in the same locker room spot as his idol.Kai Havertz – 29Kai Havertz grew up with his brother often beating him at FIFA and Pro Evo.Most with a sibling can relate to that, yet I think it’s fair to say this would be the only version of football Kai lost to Jan at?Despite the seven-year age gap and only one professionally playing sport, the Germany striker has always called his big bro a role model.The two would create their own players on their PlayStation, with the shirt number of Jan’s avatar always being 29 – the day of his birthday.If you look at his club career, where possible, Kai has always insisted on wearing 29 as a tribute to his bro.Cech – 33When Cech made the move across London, most knew he was going to be the Gunners’ number one keeper.Yet Mr Wenger didn’t want to humiliate Szczęsny by literally taking the number away from him.So our new GK got creative by picking 33!33 was his age the day he became a Gunner; he had played 333 times in the Premier League at this point, and he wanted to be Arsenal’s spine, which has 33 vertebrae.Zubimendi – 36While the Spaniard didn’t wear 36 throughout his career, he chose it when he moved to England out of respect for Real Sociedad.Joining their academy at the age of 12, the midfielder spent 14 years at his hometown club, growing from a child into a man.So for him and his family, it was emotional to leave Spain.When Zubimendi realised no one was wearing the number at the Emirates, he saw it as a full-circle moment – wearing the same figure he wore when he made his professional debut.Declan Rice – 41Our midfielder has never hidden his love for West Ham, truly gutted when the Irons got relegated last season.In truth, it’s a level of respect not all Hammers have shown the other way round.Yet when their captain made the move across London, he asked if he could keep wearing the number 41.That’s the number he’s worn throughout his professional club career, so why change that now as a Gunner?Lewis-Skelly – 49This was the number given to the teenager in the academy.Yet once promoted to the first team, the 19-year-old was offered a lower number.Being a boyhood Gooner, though, he demanded to keep it because of its relevance to Arsenal’s history.The Invincibles, of course, went 49 games undefeated.Nicklas Bendtner – 52I have said for years the Dane wouldn’t have received the amount of criticism he did had he been less vocal.Before the 2009/10 season, the striker informed Mr Wenger he would like to change his shirt number to the random figure of 52.There was a rumour amongst Gooners for a while that the player wanted these digits to reflect the thousands on his new contract.In reality, this change was spiritual.Bendtner’s mum had been told by a clairvoyant that her son’s lucky number was 7.Tomas Rosicky (rightfully) wasn’t going to give his number up based on the views of a fortune teller.The compromise was 52 because if you add those two digits up, you make 7.Any Gooner who had already bought a shirt with his previous number was offered a refund. I’m not sure there would have been many.Dan SmithWhich Arsenal player’s shirt number has the best story behind it? And are there any other Gunners you think should have made my list? Let us know in the comments._____________________________________________________________________________________________ADMIN COMMENTSo here are some simple rules which I must insist commenters follow….You agree not to give any personal abuse to other Arsenal fans. Everyone is allowed to hold their own opinions even if you disagree with them. It COSTS NOTHING TO BE POLITE TO OTHER ARSENAL FANS.CALLING ALL ARSENAL FANS! 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