Why does Tottenham star Micky van de Ven wear no 37 jersey?

The centre-back has an emotional reason behind the number 37.

Tottenham Hotspur star Micky van de Ven has provided an emotional reason for picking the shirt number 37 at Spurs, despite wearing the number five at Wolfsburg. The centre-back changed his number to 37 when he arrived at Spurs in 2023.

Van de Ven has been a fundamental part of Spurs and was integrated right into the starting lineup. He has formed a solid partnership with Cristian Romero at the heart of Tottenham’s defence.

He also acted as a pivotal player in Spurs’ win in the UEFA Europa League under former manager Ange Postecoglou when they beat Manchester United in the 2025 final.

However, despite winning, the club decided to part ways with Postecoglou and appointed Thomas Frank, under whom the Dutch centre-back remains an integral part of the squad this season. They hope to win more titles.

Van de Ven’s explanation of choosing shirt number 37

In May, he revealed the reason behind donning the number 37 on his back. Speaking to GQ, Van de Ven said:

“When I was 15 years old, my best friend Dimitri passed away. He was really sick and I always promised to make him proud.”

“He was the person I always played football with so the day before he passed away, I promised him I was going to make sure I became a professional football player. When I made this beautiful transfer to Tottenham Hotspur, they said, ‘These are the numbers you can pick for your shirt.’

“Number 37 was there. It was [Dimitri’s] favourite number when he was younger, so straight away I knew 37 had to be my number here.”

Van de Ven’s commitment on and off the pitch is truly remarkable. The player will be hopeful that he has made his friend proud. Spurs have one of the talented defenders at their disposal, and this season, the Dutchman will be eager to guide his side to more trophies.

With the international break over, Frank’s side will return to action when they face West Ham United on Saturday.

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