"Not just a number": the strange secret behind Guimaraes choosing the number 39 shirt | Goal.com

Published on 08 Aug 2026 | Reading time: 3 minutes

Bruno Guimarães didn't pick the number 39 at Arsenal at random, nor was it simply a matter of personal taste. Behind it lies a moving human story that stretches back to the earliest years of his career, one packed with struggle, ambition and loyalty to his family.

The Brazilian midfielder completed his move to Arsenal this summer, joining from Newcastle United in a deal worth 75 million pounds sterling. A new chapter begins after years in which he left a clear mark on the Magpies.

Guimarães ranked among Newcastle's most prominent stars from the moment he arrived from France's Lyon in 2022. He quickly became a key figure in the side, and one of the players most cherished by the club's supporters.

During his time on Tyneside, the Brazilian played 195 matches in a Newcastle shirt and helped drive the team to the Carabao Cup title in 2025. That trophy was the club's first in 70 years.

At 28, Guimarães now takes on a fresh challenge with Arsenal. His aim is clear: compete for silverware and help the Gunners retain the Premier League crown for a second consecutive season.

Beyond his technical value, though, there's another detail that will catch the eye of Arsenal supporters watching their new star. It's his choice to wear the number 39.

That number ties into a deeply personal story in Bruno Guimarães's life. It has followed him since his beginnings in football, when he was a young player on loan at Brazil's Athletico Paranaense.

Ever since, the number has been part of his footballing identity. He kept wearing it as he grew into one of the most prominent midfielders in Brazil and Europe.

Back in February 2023, Guimarães explained why he clings to it. He doesn't see it as merely a number on the back of a shirt, but a symbol of his career, his life and his family.

Guimarães said, in comments carried by the British newspaper "The Sun" : "This number tells a story more beautiful than words can express. It is the number 39. I know people see it as a strange number for a footballer, but for me it is a special number. In fact, it is more than that. It is a magical number."

He added: "The number 39 gave me everything in my life. It is what led me to Newcastle, it is what provided me with food and clothing, and it covered the cost of the three-hour bus journeys, in pursuit of achieving my dream."

Behind the number 39 sits a family story that reveals a different side of the Brazilian's life. The choice goes back to his father, who worked as a taxi driver in Rio de Janeiro.

That taxi carried the number 39. It became tied in the player's mind to his father and to the years the family lived through on their journey in search of a better life and the fulfilment of his dream in football.

Guimarães said of this: "The number 39 was the number of the taxi my father worked on in Rio de Janeiro."

What may look strange to many supporters became a personal symbol for Guimarães. It captures years of sacrifice, graft and the pursuit of reaching the top.

Having worn the number 39 at different stages of his career, Guimarães carries the same number at Arsenal. The shirt stays linked to a story that began in the streets of Rio de Janeiro and ran all the way to one of the most prominent midfielders in European football.

So the number 39 on the back of Guimarães's Arsenal shirt is far more than an unusual choice. For the Brazilian, it carries the memory of his father, the start of his journey, and the circumstances that helped him reach the position he holds today.

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