The Arsenal No.7 shirt is one of the reasons Bukayo Saka has been in top form for the club.
If shirt numbers do not matter, why does Cristiano Ronaldo alway look out for his preferred number.
Some say it is for his brand. That’s okay. But why didn’t Lionel Messi flourish in his shirt number 30 at PSG?
Most clubs allow players to make their choice in terms of shirt numbers and when their choices aren’t available, they wait.
“[Edu, Arsenal sporting director] is actually the person who helped me when I was getting my No. 7,” Saka had said about the shirt number that gave him so much joy.
“Because I had the conversation with him, and I told him which numbers I liked and I couldn’t believe it. ‘He just said, ‘Yeah, okay.'”
Saka followed in the footsteps of club greats, Robert Pires, Nelson Vivas and Liam Brady.
The England international became more confident after taking up the shirt number previously worn by Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
Many Gunners faithful believe the shirt number could be the secret of the player’s outstanding and confident display in the red and white shirt.