Cancelo reveals emotional reason behind wearing the No. 7 shirt
Cancelo almost gave up on his ambition to be a footballer when his mother died.
Portugal forward Joao Cancelo has revealed that he is now wearing the No. 7 shirt at Manchester City to honour the memory of his mother after she was tragically killed in a car accident nine years ago.
Cancelo was a teenager progressing through the ranks at Benfica when mum Filomena lost her life when the Audi A3 she was driving was involved in a motorway collision in January 2013.
She had just dropped her husband, Joseph, at Lisbon Airport and was driving back home with Joao and his brother Pedro asleep on the backseat.
The two boys suffered minor injuries while their mum was killed instantly - and Cancelo asked City if he could take the shirt worn by Raheem Sterling when the England winger moved to Chelsea this summer.
Cancelo explained: “Seven was my mum's favourite number and it was the day she was born: 7 February. I decided to pick that number because it is meaningful for me and for my mum. I hope I can represent her with this number as she is one of the most important people in my life.”
Cancelo almost gave up on his ambition to be a footballer when his mother died.
He was gradually coaxed back to the game by his father - but he says a prayer to his mum every time he steps onto the pitch. Cancelo, 28, moved from Benfica to Villarreal before making the switch to Juventus.
He joined City in 2019 in a deal that saw the Blues pay £27.4million and send Danilo to Juve in part-exchange. The Portuguese international has become one of Pep Guardiola’s most creative players, fitting in at left-back despite being naturally right-footed, but with the freedom to move into midfield.
Cancelo said: “I always try to adapt to every position the manager puts me in and give my best for the team. I think with the number of quality players we have in our squad, it makes it easier to adapt to any position on the pitch. It depends on the game. Some games he [Guardiola] asks me to play more inside, other games more outside. It depends on how the opponents press.
“After my initial six months, I think I have had a very good performance in the team. That is up to my dedication, of course, but also thanks to the manager and my team-mates, who believed in me. I'm very grateful to them. With the number of talented players we have in our squad, it's easier to show your best football.”
