Most footballers pick their shirt number based on a hero, a birthday, or a bit of superstition. So what about number 39 for Bruno Guimaraes?
Well, his comes from a yellow taxi cab in Rio de Janeiro.
Arsenal’s new £75 million signing from Newcastle United has officially taken the number 39 shirt. It’s a number he’s worn at every club since his breakthrough in Brazil. And the story behind it is one of the most touching in football.
A Father’s Sacrifice on the Streets of Rio
Guimaraes grew up in Vila Isabel, a neighbourhood in the shadow of the Maracana. His father, Dick, worked as a taxi driver to keep the family afloat while his son chased a career in the sport.
The dispatch number of that yellow cab? 039.
It wasn’t glamorous work. Dick drove day and night so his son could eat, train, and make the three-hour bus rides needed to attend trials and training sessions across the country.
In his own words, written for The Players’ Tribune in February 2023, Guimaraes explained what the number means to him:
“For me 39 is special — no, it’s more than that. It’s magical. The number 39 gave me everything in life.”
He also said the number fed him, clothed him, and funded the trips that allowed him to pursue his dream.
A Coincidence That Felt Like Destiny
Here’s where the story gets eerie.
When Guimaraes was loaned to Athletico Paranaense in 2017, his father called and suggested he ask for the number 39. Dick reminded him what that taxi had given the family — their house, their food, Bruno’s football boots. All of it.
But by the time that call happened, the club had already assigned Guimaraes a squad number. He hadn’t requested anything.
The number they gave him? 39.
Both father and son broke down in tears. From that moment, the number became permanent. He wore it at Athletico Paranaense. He kept it at Lyon. He carried it to Newcastle. And now, he’s brought it to the Emirates.
He even has 39 tattooed on his right calf.
Why Arsenal Cleared the Path
Shirt numbers don’t usually make headlines. But eagle-eyed Arsenal fans noticed something interesting on the club’s website before the official announcement.
Academy goalkeeper Louie Copley, previously listed as number 39, had been quietly switched to 38. That was no accident. Guimaraes has specifically requested the number at every club he’s joined, and Arsenal made sure it was waiting for him.
In his first interview as a Gunner, Guimaraes confirmed the tradition would continue:
“It means everything to me. I have the tattoo of the 39 as well. My father was a taxi driver in Brazil for more than 20 years. The taxi gave me everything for my family.”
He also revealed a funny detail. When he first had the chance to pick a number as a young player, he actually wanted 97. His father talked him out of it.
Arsenal’s midfield now has a distinctly unconventional look when it comes to shirt numbers:
- Martin Zubimendi — 36
- Bruno Guimaraes — 39
- Declan Rice — 41
- Myles Lewis-Skelly — 49
Not a traditional 6, 8, or 10 among them. But for Guimaraes, the number was never about convention. It’s a reminder of where he came from — and the man who made it all possible.
He joins Arsenal having established himself as one of the Premier League’s finest midfielders during his time at Newcastle, where he helped the Magpies win the 2025 Carabao Cup and qualify for the Champions League. He’s also an Olympic gold medallist with Brazil, having helped his country beat Spain in the Tokyo 2020 final.
When asked which former Arsenal player he’d like to emulate, his answer was instant: Gilberto Silva.
“I hope I can follow his history here and make myself one of the very good players at Arsenal in history.”
From a taxi driver’s son in Vila Isabel to a £75 million signing in north London — wherever Bruno Guimaraes goes, number 39 follows. It isn’t just stitched on his back. It’s written into his story.
