Manchester City’s No. 17 shirt now has a new owner, with Enzo Fernandez choosing the number worn for a decade by Kevin De Bruyne. Behind the Argentine midfielder’s choice lies a personal reason, which he revealed himself after his transfer from Chelsea.
🔵⚪️🇦🇷 Enzo Fernández on number 17: “I’m a great believer in God… I read the Bible and while I was reading the Bible, the transfer was happening”.
“I was reading a verse, it really touched my heart, so I felt that was the way to go”. pic.twitter.com/I8DFPqqxK0
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 3, 2026
Fernandez explained that his choice of “17” is tied to his religious faith. He revealed that during the negotiations for his move to Manchester, he was reading the Bible and came across a specific verse that moved him deeply.
“It doesn’t have any particular meaning for me, but I believe strongly in God. I was reading the Bible, and while I was reading it during the transfer, I came across a specific verse that really touched my heart. So I felt that was the path I had to follow,” he said.
Why Enzo chose the number 17 🗣️🩵 pic.twitter.com/cAWsVNKLnf
— Manchester City (@ManCity) September 2, 2026
The 25-year-old also revealed that 17 holds sporting significance for him too, since it was the first number he wore for the Argentina national team, back when he was still playing for River Plate. Now he’ll wear it at Manchester City as well, taking it over from one of the greatest legends in the club’s history, De Bruyne.
