Tottenham star Micky van de Ven reveals the poignant reason behind his decision to wear the No 37 shirt after his £43m arrival in north London
- Micky Van de Ven has quickly become a fan favorite at Tottenham this season
- A number of former Ajax players wear the number 34 as a tribute to Abdelhak Nouri
- Why Liverpool is like a tower of JENGA – It’s all the kick-off to Transfer Week podcast
Micky van de Ven has increased the lead due to why he chose to wear number 37 after signing for Tottenham in 2023.
The Dutch defender has quickly become a fan favorite at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after joining Ange Postecoglou’s side from Wolfsburg for £43million last summer.
The Dutch speedster has become a mainstay at Tottenham when fit alongside Cristian Romero, although he missed 10 games earlier this season due to a hamstring injury.
While most centre-backs traditionally wear shirt No. 4, No. 5 or No. 6, Van de Ven’s decision to wear No. 37 upon his arrival raised some eyebrows.
However, the defender revealed his reasons, which involved a childhood friend whose favorite number was 37.
Defender Micky Van de Ven has revealed the reason behind his squad number for Tottenham
While most central defenders usually take over the No. 4, No. 5 or No. 6, Van de Ven plays in the No. 37.
“A friend of mine passed away when we were younger, and it was always his favorite song,” Van de Ven revealed.
‘So when I got the chance to pick number 37 when I signed for Tottenham… to be honest, it’s for him.’
Van de Ven arrived last summer alongside Alejo Veliz, Guglielmo Vicario, James Maddison, Manor Solomon and Brennan Johnson, as well as manager Postecoglou.
This season, the Australian manager has transformed Spurs from a side heavily criticized for their playing style under Antonio Conte, to one of the most dynamic, high-octane teams in the Premier League in 2023/24.
The Spurs star isn’t the only player to adopt a squad number for sentimental reasons; several Ajax stars and academy graduates have done the same.
Donny Van de Beek took on the number 34 when he signed for Manchester United, as did Joel Veltman at Brighton and Justin Kluivert at Roma in tribute to former Ajax star Abdelhak Nouri.
Donny Van de Beek took over the number 34 shirt at Manchester United in tribute to Ajax star Abdelhak Nouri
Nouri collapsed during a pre-season match with Werder Bremen in 2017, with the player suffering brain damage due to cardiac arrest, ending his playing career.
The north London club are currently fourth in the table – three points behind arch-enemy Arsenal – and will face Everton in the early kick-off at Goodison Park on Saturday afternoon.