Alexander-Arnold and Rice have donned the shirt numbers for the entirety of their respective careers
(Image credit: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Declan Rice will be forced to abandon their preferred shirt numbers at this summer's Euro 2024 due to strict UEFA rules.
The pair avoided the Euro 2024 cut on Thursday to confirm their place in Gareth Southgate's final 26-man squad heading to Germany after fantastic individual campaigns for their clubs.
The number 66 and 41 shirts have become synonymous with Alexander-Arnold and Rice respectively, so why must the England stars abandon them?
Declan Rice kept the number 41 shirt following his big-money move to Arsenal. (Image credit: Getty Images)
Why must Alexander-Arnold and Rice abandon their shirt numbers?
According article 58 of UEFA's regulation, players at international tournaments must only wear numbers 1-26, with each squad member registered to a specific number in that range prior to the start of the competition.
The rule also states that only goalkeepers are permitted to wear the number one.
This impacts a number of players in the England squad, including the aforementioned Rice and Alexander-Arnold, as well as Manchester City's Phil Foden (47) and Manchester United's Kobbie Mainoo (37).
Alexander-Arnold continues to wear the 66 shirt having made his senior debut in that number. (Image credit: Getty Images)
Elsewhere, the likes of Gianluigi Donnarumma (99) and Micky van de Ven (37) will also be forced to make the switch prior to taking to the field in the coming weeks.
Get FourFourTwo Newsletter
The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.
Alexander-Arnold in particular will be hoping for a change of fortunes at international level this summer, having been regularly been overlooked for major tournaments during Gareth Southgate's reign.
The full back offers one of the most unique skillsets in workd football and could undoubtedly be a difference maker for the Three Lions if given the opportunity.
James Ridge is a freelance journalist based in the UK. He recently spent time with The United Stand as an online news editor and has covered the beautiful game from England’s eighth tier all the way to the Premier League.
