Why does Trent Alexander-Arnold wear the number 66 jersey for Liverpool?

There are several iconic jersey numbers in soccer, with 7, worn over the years by Cristiano Ronaldo and David Beckham, and 10, donned by Lionel Messi, Diego Maradona and Pele, among the most sought-after. It’s safe to say, however, that Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold won’t have had to fight off too many teammates to claim ‘his’ number 66 at the Premier League club.

Despite now being in his ninth season in the Reds’ first team, the England international still sports the same number he did as when he made his breakthrough as an 18-year-old in October 2016.

It is, of course, common to see youngsters wearing unusually high jersey numbers before they have established themselves, although they normally switch to a much lower one once they have.

The importance of a jersey number

Not Alexander-Arnold, though. Which begs the question: does he have some kind of emotion attachment to it, or does it have a special significance?

In the past, we’ve seen players wear their birth year on their back of their jersey, and numerous strikers choose 99 because their favoured number 9 was already taken. And who could forget Chilean forward Ivan Zamorano at Inter, who famously had 1+8 splashed across his shirt because Ronaldo had taken his number 9.

Liverpool explain reason for Alexander-Arnold’s 66

For Alexander-Arnold, though, there is no hidden meaning. His grandmother wasn’t born on the 6th of June, nor is it a reference to England’s solitary World Cup win.

Liverpool’s kit management coordinator Lee Radcliffe told the club’s website in 2020 the right-back-cum-midfielder was assigned 66 as he was making his way into the first team and has stuck with it ever since.

Soccer players, and sportspeople in general, are famously superstitious and Alexander-Arnold has clearly taken the ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it approach’. There are plenty of iconic number 7s and 10s, but there aren’t many 66s.