Bruno Guimaraes has revealed the deeply personal story behind his decision to wear the No.39 shirt, with the new Arsenal midfielder explaining that the number represents the sacrifices his father made for their family in Brazil.

Guimaraes has continued with No.39 following his £75million move from Newcastle United to Arsenal, despite the number being an unusual choice for a midfielder of his stature.

But for the Brazilian, choosing another number was never going to be simple.

The number goes all the way back to his childhood in Rio de Janeiro, where his father, Dick, spent more than 20 years working as a taxi driver to provide for the family.

“It means everything to me,” Guimaraes explained when discussing the significance of 39.

The Brazilian even has the number tattooed on his body, demonstrating just how important it has become to him.

“My father was a taxi driver in Brazil for more than 20 years,” he explained.

“The taxi gave me everything for my family, the place we live, the food, my clothes, everything.”

Why Does Bruno Guimaraes Wear No.39?

The answer can be traced back to the streets of Rio de Janeiro.

Guimaraes’ father worked for years as a taxi driver, and 039 was the dispatch number associated with his taxi.

Driving provided an income for the family and helped make it possible for a young Bruno to continue chasing his dream of becoming a professional footballer.

Guimaraes has previously explained that the money generated by his father’s work helped feed and clothe him while also covering the cost of long journeys he needed to make while pursuing opportunities in football.

That transformed 39 from an ordinary number into a symbol of his family’s sacrifices.

For Bruno, wearing it on his back is a way of carrying that story with him every time he steps onto a football pitch.

The Taxi Helped Keep Bruno’s Football Dream Alive

Guimaraes did not grow up with the guarantees that he would eventually become a Premier League superstar and Brazilian international.

Like countless young footballers in Brazil, he had to travel considerable distances and overcome setbacks while trying to earn an opportunity in the professional game.

His parents played a major role in making that possible.

His father’s taxi provided the family with an income, but its importance went beyond simply paying household bills. It helped cover the everyday costs that allowed Bruno to continue pursuing football.

In a 2023 account of his journey, Guimaraes explained that the No.39 had effectively fed him, clothed him and helped pay for lengthy bus journeys as he chased his dream.

That is why he considers the number “magical.”

Long before millions of supporters knew his name, No.39 represented the work being done behind the scenes to give him a chance.

An Incredible Coincidence at Athletico Paranaense

The connection between Bruno and No.39 became even stronger when he joined Athletico Paranaense.

Guimaraes arrived at the Brazilian club in 2017 as a teenager trying to establish himself at a higher level.

Then something remarkable happened.

He was given the No.39 shirt.

According to Brazilian reports about his early career, the number was assigned to him when he arrived at Athletico. Given its significance to his family, Bruno immediately contacted his father to tell him about the coincidence.

It felt like the perfect number.

Guimaraes went on to establish himself at Athletico and became one of Brazilian football’s most exciting midfield prospects.

Success followed too.

He helped Athletico win major silverware before his performances eventually earned him a move to European football.

By then, No.39 had become inseparable from his identity.

Bruno Took No.39 to Lyon

When French club Lyon signed Guimaraes in January 2020, the midfielder had an important request.

He wanted his number.

No.39 followed him from Brazil to France as Bruno began establishing himself in European football.

His performances for Lyon eventually attracted interest from several major clubs, and in January 2022 Newcastle United brought him to the Premier League.

Once again, there was little mystery surrounding the shirt number he wanted.

Newcastle announced that their new Brazilian midfielder would wear No.39, specifically acknowledging its connection to the taxi once driven by his father.

What had started as a taxi number in Rio was now being worn in the Premier League.

No.39 Became Famous at Newcastle

It was at Newcastle that Guimaraes and the number became familiar to millions of Premier League supporters.

The Brazilian developed into one of the club’s most important players following his arrival from Lyon.

He eventually became captain and played a central role in Newcastle’s rise from a team battling near the bottom of the Premier League to one competing for European football and major trophies.

Throughout that transformation, 39 remained on his back.

For Newcastle supporters, the number gradually became associated with Bruno himself.

But whenever Guimaraes looked at it, there was a much older story behind it.

It represented his father working long hours in Rio.

It represented the journeys required to pursue football.

And it represented the family who supported him before professional football brought fame and financial success.

Bruno Keeps No.39 at Arsenal

Guimaraes has now started another major chapter in his career following his move to Arsenal.

But one thing has not changed.

The 28-year-old will continue wearing No.39.

After completing his £75m transfer from Newcastle, Arsenal made the number available to their new midfielder.

It means Guimaraes has carried the same special number from Brazil to France, Newcastle and now North London.

For Arsenal supporters unfamiliar with the story, seeing a star midfielder wearing 39 may initially appear unusual.

Traditional midfield numbers such as 6, 8 or 10 might have been more obvious choices.

For Guimaraes, however, No.39 carries something those numbers cannot offer.

It carries his family’s story.

From a Rio Taxi to the Premier League

The journey of No.39 provides a remarkable connection between Guimaraes’ childhood and the footballer he eventually became.

His father could hardly have known while driving his taxi around Rio de Janeiro that its dispatch number would one day appear on shirts worn by supporters thousands of miles away.

Yet that is exactly what happened. The taxi helped provide food, clothing and a home for the family while Bruno pursued a football career that was far from guaranteed.

Years later, their circumstances have completely changed.

Guimaraes has represented Brazil, won Olympic gold, played in the Champions League and established himself as one of the Premier League’s leading midfielders.

But he has deliberately kept one reminder of where everything started.

The 39 on the back of his shirt is not about football tradition or marketing.

For Bruno Guimaraes, it represents his father, his family and the sacrifices that made his career possible.

And now, as he begins the next stage of his journey with Arsenal, No.39 is coming with him.