New Arsenal player Bruno Guimaraes chose the No.39 shirt for a special and touching reason.
Bruno Guimaraes has officially joined Arsenal for £75 million and will keep the famous No.39 shirt that he made popular at Newcastle United. The 28-year-old has signed a four-year deal in North London and said his main reason for moving this summer is to win more trophies.
Bruno led Newcastle to their first trophy since 1955 by winning the Carabao Cup last year but now wants to compete for the Premier League and Champions League with Mikel Arteta’s team.
The Brazil star said it was “one of the toughest decisions” to leave Newcastle but felt this was an opportunity he couldn’t miss as his career keeps growing since he left South America six years ago.
He hasn’t forgotten where he came from. Bruno grew up in the São Cristóvão neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro, where his dad worked hard as a local taxi driver. The number 39 even appeared on the side of their family taxi. This car not only helped support the family but also got Bruno to training and tryouts as a kid.
“My father was a taxi driver in Brazil for over 20 years,” Bruno shared with Arsenal media. “That taxi gave us everything—our home, food, clothes, everything. When I signed with a big club in Brazil, I asked my dad which number to pick. He said 39. I was a little upset because I wanted 97. But he told me, ‘No, take 39. That number gave you everything.’
“When I was 11 or 12, my dad always drove me around in that taxi with the number 39. When I joined Athletico Paranaense, they gave me a kit with 39 on it, and I was surprised. I asked why the 39, and they said I could change it if I wanted. But I said no, I wanted to keep it. I called my dad and when I told him, he started to cry. He said, ‘I told you, the number 39 will bring you luck.’
“Since then, I’ve always worn No.39. It means a lot to me. I even have a tattoo of 39.”