Rome (AFP) – Dutch midfielder Jonathan De Guzman will wear the number one usually seen on the backs of goalkeepers for Chievo this season.

The 28-year-old Dutch international has joined the Verona team on loan from Napoli.

Although unusual, his choice is not unique, even amongst his countrymen.

“The number one, it’s different, it’s not usual,” he said.

“I like it. There were other options but straight away I chose this one.

“Like (Edgar) Davids when he played in England.”

Former midfield enforcer Davids, a Champions League winner with Ajax in 1995 who played 74 times for his country, wore the No.1 jersey when he joined Barnet as player-manager in 2013, at the age of 40.

But the most famous case was Argentina winger Osvaldo Ardiles at the World Cup in Spain in 1982.

Argentina had decided to give their players numbers based on alphabetical order, barring star forward Diego Maradona who kept the No.10 jersey he always wore.