Why Bruno Guimarães wears the No. 39 at every club he goes
Bruno Guimarães will continue wearing his trademark No.39 shirt at Arsenal, a number inspired by his father’s taxi dispatch code in Rio de Janeiro that funded his early football journey.
Bruno Guimarães is set to bring one of the Premier League’s most recognisable shirt numbers to Arsenal following his £75million move from Newcastle United.
The Brazilian midfielder has worn No.39 throughout his entire career, a choice rooted not in superstition but in his father’s profession as a taxi driver in Rio de Janeiro.
Guimarães’ father, Dick, drove a yellow taxi with the dispatch number 039 to support the family while his son pursued football.
“My father drove that yellow taxi day and night so that I could eat,” Guimarães said, explaining that the earnings funded long bus journeys to matches during his youth career.
The midfielder has carried the number through every stop of his career, from Athletico Paranaense in Brazil to Lyon in 2020, and again upon joining Newcastle in January 2022.
He has previously reflected on his father’s newfound recognition in England, noting that “that yellow taxi kept my dream alive.”
Guimarães has completed his move and signed his Arsenal contract, with the club confirming his arrival in an official announcement on Saturday.
The Brazilian reportedly pushed for the move after making his desire to leave Newcastle clear, and is has retained his familiar No.39 shirt at the Emirates Stadium.
