Declan Rice has revealed how he ended up with his famous yet unconventional No.41 shirt at West Ham and why he would think twice about switching numbers.
Rice has worn 41 throughout his Hammers career and only moves away from it when on international duty where rules dictate all numbers must be between 1 and 26.
During Euro 2020 Rice was England's number four and has also donned the five, seven, eight, 16, 17 and 18 shirts when on international duty. Despite chopping and changing when with England, Rice has now spent two seasons as the Three Lions number four and has settled upon this for his country, although he is not keen on moving away from his 41 jersey in club football.
Explaining to Gary Neville on The Overlap how he ended up with No.41, Rice said: "It was just the number I was given in the academy by the kitman, when you are in the under-23s there are the first team squad numbers and then it gets to the higher numbers and I was given 41 when I went to Seattle on my first trip with the first-team. I was just given 41 and it has stayed with me since.
"And to be honest with you I have been having these conversations with my dad, regardless of what happens in my career I may stay with 41.
"I just think Rice 41 has a nice ring to it and obviously I have grown up playing in it and I am a bit superstitious with things like that, I don't know if I change to a new number if it will hamper my performances, I don't know! Sometimes I think about things like that."
Neville asked the midfielder if number 7 would suit him, to which Rice replied laughing: "Seven dog? Nah, not seven dog, no way. Either four or six, I think those are the standard numbers."
At West Ham the famous number six worn by Bobby Moore has been retired by the club and the four is worn by Kurt Zouma. Before Zouma signed in August the four would have been available to Rice but the England star is comfortable in his 41 shirt and has no intention of changing.
