For a player of Trent Alexander-Arnold's unique gift, it just wouldn't be right if he conformed to the norms in terms of shirt numbers.
Advocates of tradition look on aghast if their side's right-back wears anything but the #2 on their back. However, the relaxed rules in terms of squad numbers mean Premier League players have close to free rein when choosing what figure to wear.
For Liverpool's Alexander-Arnold, seeing a talent of his revolutionary standing wearing the #2 shirt would be the ultimate contradiction. Thankfully, the England international has continued to stick with the number first handed out to him when he broke into the Liverpool first team all those years ago.
Trent Alexander-Arnold shirt number history
Why does Trent Alexander-Arnold wear the #66 shirt?
One man is solely responsible for thousands of kids donning #66 on their backs. Lee Radcliffe, Liverpool's kit management co-ordinator, handed the full-back the #66 once he broke into the first-team at Anfield.
Explaining the rather arbitrary process of dishing out kit numbers to youth players, Radcliffe said back in 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 said Trent has never requested a number change and has always been content wearing the pair of sixes on his back.
"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," the Liverpool kitman added.
Alexander-Arnold was asked backed in 2020 if he thought the #66 would stick with him for the rest of his career, to which he replied. "I don’t know to be honest."
Trent's success on Merseyside has seen his #66 shirt evolve into an iconic Reds strip. The right-back has startled since bursting onto the scene, playing an instrumental role in the club's Premier League and Champions League successes under Jurgen Klopp.
He'll never wear that number internationally for England as squad numbers aren't permitted to go so high. Alexander-Arnold has been deployed in plenty of different positions for the Three Lions and has an eclectic range of shirt numbers, even taking the ten jersey for his more attacking displays.
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This article was originally published on 90min as Why does Trent Alexander-Arnold wear the 66 shirt?.
