The reason for Trent Alexander-Arnold’s choice to wear the number 66 shirt for Liverpool has been disclosed.
In his debut game for Liverpool against Tottenham Hotspur in the EFL Cup in October 2016, Alexander-Arnold wore the number 66 shirt.
Although he has become one of the best footballers in European football and a first-choice player at Anfield, he has opted to keep the same shirt number.
It’s typical for young players to be assigned higher numbers in their first seas.
Liverpool’s kit management coordinator Lee Radcliffe has previously explained why Alexander Arnold wears the number 66.
He toldLiverpool’s official websitein 2020: “When we get any young lads that come down from the Academy, we always deliberately try to give them a high-ish number.
“We don’t like to give them a low number in case they sort of think they’ve made it straight away, if you know what I mean.”
Radcliffe added: “You pick it out because it’s a free number and it’s around that sort of number you think, ‘We’ll give that out because he’s only just come down’.
“When you see him now lifting trophies and celebrating with No.66 on the back, it’s a weird feeling and I can’t really describe it. It’s weird to see such a high number and for someone to be happy with it!
“I think he’s that laidback that he’s obviously been given the number and thought, ‘Yeah, that’ll do me. I’ll keep that’, and not realised how iconic it’s become over the years.”
It is likely that Alexander Arnold will continue with the number 66 and make it his own as he continues to develop his game.
In recent matches, the 24-year-old has been deployed in a more advanced midfield role by manager Jurgen Klopp.
The Liverpool boss recently said: “We did that before, but it was not that obvious. But we did that before, we put Trent inside.
“In buildup, Trent played more inside, double six, that’s how it is. You need to get used to it, obviously.”
Alexander Arnold and Liverpool will be back in action this weekend as they host Nottingham Forest at Anfield in the Premier League on Saturday.