A jersey number can become part of a professional soccer player's identity. Many of the Portland Timbers have worn their numbers since childhood or picked their numbers because of the position they play. Others have chosen their numbers for unique personal reasons. What follows is a look at the reasons why the 2018 Portland Timbers chose their numbers.

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Jeff Attinella | 1

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Jamie Goldberg/The Oregonian

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Even though goalkeepers usually wear No. 1, Jeff Attinella wore No. 20 in college and has tried to stick with that number throughout his career. But when he arrived in Portland, David Guzman was already wearing No. 20, prompting Attinella to make the decision to take the expected goalkeeper number, No. 1. "No. 20 wasn't available, so I went with No. 1 as a goalkeeper," Attinella said.

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Alvas Powell | 2

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Kent Frasure, Special to The Oregonian/OregonLive

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Alvas Powell had never worn No. 2 and didn't particularly like the number, but when he arrived in Portland at the age of 18 in 2013, the Timbers handed him a jersey with No. 2 on the back. "I was just given that number and at first when I got it, I had a little problem with it," Powell said. "But now I've grown to love that number."

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Vytas Andriuskevicius | 5

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Pete Christopher/Staff

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Vytas didn't get to choose his number when he joined the Timbers midway through the 2016 season. Instead, he was just handed a jersey with No. 5 on the back. He has stuck with the numbers throughout his time in Portland.

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Roy Miller | 7

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AP Photo/David Zalubowski

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When Roy Miller joined the New York Red Bulls in 2010, his son was just six months old. His boy had been born on June 7, so Miller made the decision to honor his son by taking the No. 7. The number is still very special to him. "Everyone said, 'Why did you take it because you are defender?'" Miller said. "But I decided on that number because it was the day my son was born."

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Diego Valeri | 8

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Serena Morones, for The Oregonian/OregonLive

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When he played in Argentina, Diego Valeri always wore No. 8 because he played on the right side of the midfield and No. 8 is the number for that position. From a religious perspective, Valeri has also embraced the No. 8 because December 8 is the celebration of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, which celebrates the immaculate conception of the Virgin Mary. "I like the No. 8 too, because Dec. 8 in Argentina is the [Feast] of the Immaculate Conception," Valeri said. "How about that?"

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Fanendo Adi | 9

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Kent Frasure

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Forwards often wear the No. 9 in soccer because they play in the number nine position, but Fanendo Adi had never worn No. 9 before coming to Portland. During his professional career, Adi has been a No 10, a No. 22 and a No. 26, but when he found out the No. 9 was open, he decided he wanted it to be his number in Portland. "For a forward, there are less numbers you can go with," Adi said. "The nine was open and I liked it and I went for it. Nine is a good number for me."

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Sebastian Blanco | 10

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AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez

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Sebastian Blanco used to wear No. 23 during his childhood because it was his favorite number. But when he joined the academy program at Lanus in Argentina, he was given the No. 10. He has worn No. 10 ever since. "I love it," Blanco said. "Here the No. 10 was free and No. 23 is a good one for Jack Barmby, so I chose No. 10."

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Andy Polo | 11

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Kent Frasure, Special to The Oregonian/OregonLive

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Andy Polo wore No. 11 during his time in the Peru youth national team system. When he arrived in Portland and saw No. 11 was available, he jumped at it. "In the youth national team, I wore No. 11," Polo said. "So, I have an affinity to that number."

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Lawrence Olum | 13

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Tony Gutierrez/AP

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Lawrence Olum has worn No. 13 for as long as he can remember. He said that his parents wore No. 10 and No. 11 when they played and he wanted to pick a number close to them, but with enough distant. "Both my parents were 10 and 11 when they played, so I decided to skip one and pick No. 13 to create a difference," Olum said. "No. 13 is my lucky number too."

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Andres Flores | 14

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Tony Gutierrez/AP

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When Andres Flores made his debut with El Salvador club Isidro Metapán in 2009, he wore No. 14. He has tried to wear that same number in every game since. "I'm trying to keep the same number for my entire career," Flores said.

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Zarek Valentin | 16

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Sean Meagher, The Oregonian/OregonLive

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When Zarek Valentin arrived in Portland, the club told him that the lowest numbers that they had available were No. 10 and No. 16, but that as left back Valentin shouldn't take No. 10. He had never worn No. 16, but wanted to wear a lower number, so he grabbed it. "They said, 'All right, we have 10 and then 16 and above," Valentin said. "They said, 'You better not take 10,' so I said, 'All right, I'll take 16 then.'"

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Jeremy Ebobisse | 17

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Sean Meagher/Staff

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Jeremy Ebobisse didn't get to pick his number, but he's happy with the one that he was assigned. He said he wouldn't have wanted a number larger than No. 20 because that seemed too high. At the same time, he felt numbers below No. 9 didn't belong to him as a forward. No. 17 seemed like a good fit. "I'm lucky because that was just assigned to me, but it was a number that I was totally happy with," Ebobisse said. "I like numbers anywhere from 9 to 19. Those are my go-to numbers, depending on availability."

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Julio Cascante | 18

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Sean Meagher, The Oregonian/OregonLive

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Julio Cascante was 18-years-old when he made his professional debut for Costa Rican side Orion FC in 2011. When he saw that that No. 18 was available in Portland, he took it. "My first professional game in Costa Rica was when I was 18-years-old," Cascante said. "That's why I chose it."

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Victor Arboleda | 19

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Jamie Goldberg/The Oregonian

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As a child, Victor Arboleda lived on block No. 19 in his hometown of El Cerrito, Colombia. When he arrived in Portland, he had the opportunity to take the No. 19 jersey as a reminder of home.

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David Guzman | 20

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Sean Meagher/Staff

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When David Guzman made his professional debut for Costa Rican club Deportivo Saprissa in 2009, he wore No. 20. He has never stopped wearing it. "It's the first number I had when I debuted at Saprissa and I've worn it ever since," Guzman said.

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Diego Chara | 21

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Serena Morones

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When Diego Chara played his first professional game as an 18-year-old in Colombia for Colombian side Deportes Quindío, the club gave him a jersey with No. 21. Since then, he has never changed his number. "When it was my first professional game in Colombia, this was my number," Chara said. "For me, it's a special number."

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Cristhian Paredes | 22

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Josie Lepe/AP

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Cristhian Paredes has always liked bigger numbers. When he saw No. 22 was available in Portland, he thought it would be a good fit. "I just like it," Paredes said. "I just like big numbers."

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Jack Barmby | 23

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Molly Blue/Staff

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Jack Barmby had never worn the No. 23 before arriving in Portland, but the Timbers gave him the choice between a few different numbers and No. 23 stood out to him. He said he was happy to start over with a new number on his new team. "I just like the No. 23," Barmby said.

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Liam Ridgewell | 24

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Josie Lepe/AP

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Liam Ridgewell always wore the No. 6 during his professional career in England. He likes the No. 6 so much that he has it tattooed on his arm. But when he came to Portland, Darlington Nagbe was wearing No. 6 and Ridgewell didn't want to ask one of the Timbers' top players at the time to give up his number. Instead, Ridgewell went with No. 24 because 2 + 4 = 6.

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Bill Tuiloma | 25

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Sean Meagher, The Oregonian/OregonLive

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Bill Tuiloma wore No. 25 during his time with French club Marseille. He decided to take the same number in Portland. "I wanted to get the same number," Tuiloma said. "I like to stick to the same number. I don't want to change. Hopefully, it stays like that, but we'll see in the future."

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Modou Jadama | 26

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Craig Mitchelldyer/Portland Timbers

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Modou Jadama didn't have many options when he chose his jersey number. He took No. 26 because it was an even number. "It was there and I took it," Jadama said. "It's a good number. I chose No. 26 because it's an even number."

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Dairon Asprilla | 27

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Sean Meagher/Staff

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During his first few years in Portland, Dairon Asprilla wore No. 11 because he was a fan of Colombian striker Faustino Asprilla growing up and liked that he had the same last name as the successful Colombian forward. Faustino Asprilla wore No. 11, so Asprilla started wearing the number as well. But Asprilla switched to No. 27 after rejoining the Timbers last year following a loan stint. When Andy Polo arrived this season, he asked Asprilla if it was okay for him to take over the No. 11 jersey and Asprilla agreed. Asprilla said he has always really liked the No. 27 as well. "I have always had a thing for 27," Asprilla said.

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Foster Langsdorf | 28

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Craig Mitchelldyer-Portland Timbers

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Foster Langsdorf didn't get to choose his number, but he's perfectly happy wearing No. 28 for his hometown club. "I didn't get to choose mine," Langsdorf said. "They just handed it to me."

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Eryk Williamson | 30

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Jamie Goldberg | The Oregonian/OregonLive

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Eryk Williamson wanted to have a fresh start when he turned pro with the Timbers this year. He used to wear No. 19 in college, but he's glad to have a new number in No. 30 for his first year in MLS. "I just wanted to be different," Williamson said. "I've always been No. 19 and I think No. 30 is just a fresh start. It's a different level and I wanted to have a fresh start here."

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Marco Farfan | 32

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Kent Frasure

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Marco Farfan wore No. 32 during his years in the Timbers academy system. He said he was assigned that number based on where his name fell on the list of players in the academy in alphabetical order. The number has grown on him over time. He had no interest in wearing any other number when he turned pro last year. "I decided to stick with it because I came from the academy," Farfan said. "They gave me No. 32 in the academy. I've just stuck with it ever since."

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Larrys Mabiala | 33

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Sean Meagher, The Oregonian/OregonLive

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During his years playing in Turkey and even before that, Larrys Mabiala always wore the No. 6. But when he came to Portland, that number was taken by Darlington Nagbe. He decided to go with No. 33 because 3 + 3 = 6. "I didn't see myself coming to Darlington and asking for the No. 6," Mabiala said. "So, I just tried to find a number to match that number."

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Kendall McIntosh | 43

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Jamie Goldberg/The Oregonian

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Kendall McIntosh was given No. 43 by chance when he arrived in Portland. Now, he can't imagine wearing another number. "When I showed up, No. 43 was given to me and I kind of fell in love with it," McIntosh said. "At the end of my first year, they said, 'Do you want to change your number?' I said, 'No.'"

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Jake Gleeson | 90

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Thomas B. Shea/Houston Chronicle via AP

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Jake Gleeson was at home in New Zealand ahead of the 2010 season when the Timbers asked him to send them three possible numbers. As one of the options, he sent in No. 90, to represent his birth year of 1990, as "a bit of a laugh." When he arrived in Portland Gleeson saw No. 90 above his locker. He's grown to like the number over time. "It's nice," Gleeson said. "It's something a little bit different."

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Samuel Armenteros | 99

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Serena Morones, for The Oregonian/OregonLive

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As a forward, Samuel Armenteros wanted No. 9. But that number was taken by striker Fanendo Adi. He also would have taken No. 90 because he wore that number at previous clubs due to his birth year of 1990. But No. 90 was taken by Jake Gleeson. So, Armenteros decided to double up the nine and go with No. 99. "I said, 'Okay, just double up the nine and throw it on the back," Armenteros said.