#11 Loïs Openda (RC Lens): "I really like the classic striker numbers: 9, 7 and 11. When I arrived at Lens, I chose 27 because 2+7 = 9. The 27 is also the way to have a 7 in my number. At Vitesse Arnhem, I had the 7 and every season, I try to have the 7 or a 7 in my number because, one day, I played with the 7 and it went very well for me. But, when Jonathan Clauss left for OM, he released the 11 and I was able to get it back!"

#17 Jeanricner Bellegarde (RC Strasbourg Alsace): "I really like the number 7. It is the number of many great players. Choosing 17 allows me to have a 7 in my number while adding my touch. When I think of 17, I think of Eden Hazard, whom I like a lot and who had the 17 at Chelsea. I also liked Robinho a lot, who had the 70, another number with a 7 in it. Maybe I'll choose the 70 one day, especially since we are allowed to take this kind of number now. But I have already offered a lot of jerseys with my name on them with the 17. If I take the 70, I will have to give some to everyone [laughs] or people will end up with an outdated jersey!"

#95 Grejohn Kyei (Clermont Foot 63): "95 is special for me because I was born in 1995 in the 95 department and I am originally from another city in 95. To be precise, I was born in Gonesse in the Val d'Oise and I come from Villiers-le-Bel! I had the 9 in Clermont but as soon as I knew about the new regulation, I took the 95, straight away!"

#6 Marco Verratti (Paris Saint-Germain): "When I arrived in Paris, there were not many numbers left to choose from. I took the 24 because it is the day of birth of my father. It was the only number I could find a link with. And then I went to 6. Zoumana Camara had it before me and when he hung up the boots, he wanted me to take his number. I like the 6, which I have kept since."

#17 Moussa Sissoko (FC Nantes): "The 17 is the day of birth of my son. I wore this number during my five seasons at Tottenham but at Watford it was not available. When I saw that it was available at FC Nantes, I didn't think twice. Besides, my son had asked me to do it!"

#3 Neto Borges (Clermont Foot 63): "It's a long story! When I arrived in Europe, in Hammarby, Sweden, I wanted the number 30 because I am a fan of Steph Curry. But the club preferred that I choose a more classic number and gave me the 3 instead. I had a great season as I was elected in the Swedish championship's all-star team. Since then, I take the 3 whenever I can. Every time I get it, everything goes well for me, like at Hammarby and Tondela. Conversely, when I can't have it, everything goes wrong, like at Genk, where I didn't play much, or at Vasco de Gama, when the club was relegated... That's how the 3 became my lucky charm!"

#24 Gédéon Kalulu (FC Lorient): "There is no particular story behind my choice. I would have liked to take the 2 or the 22 but they were already taken. The same goes for the 25th, which is the day my daughter was born. I finally settled on 24 to have a number close to 25! I didn't want a fancy number in any case."

#20 Pierre Lees-Melou (Stade Brestois 29): "I have always worn the 8, even in the amateurs. But for two years, I wear the 20 because, in Norwich as in Brest, the 8 was no longer available. I liked the 20, so it's the number I chose instead of the 8, which was my number in Lège-Cap-Ferret, the number I took when I signed my first pro contract in Dijon."

#6 Zakaria Aboukhlal (Toulouse FC): " Most number 6s are slow on the field so I chose number 6 so that my opponents would think I was slow too [laughs]."

#94 Yehvann Diouf (Stade de Reims): "I grew up in Val-de-Marne and I always told myself that if I had the opportunity to choose my jersey number one day, I would take the 94 to represent the department. It's a number that suits me. Even when I play FIFA in career mode, I take the 94."

#6 Christopher Jullien (Montpellier Hérault SC): "I have almost always worn the 6 during my career. I could not take it at Celtic because it belonged to Nir Bitton, an example and an emblem of the club, so I ended up with the 2. I don't know why but I always wanted to wear the number 6. I feel good with this number, I like it. You could say it's my lucky number."

#36 Breel Embolo (AS Monaco): "The number 36 had already brought me luck in Basel. I became a professional with it. And when I was younger, I always took the 36 bus to training. Well, 3 plus 6 makes 9!"

#30 Yahia Fofana (Angers SCO): "When I arrived in the first team at Le Havre, it was the only number still available. As my first season in the pro team went well, I told myself that I had to continue wearing it at Angers. It's a number that I find stylish, it fills the back of the shirt well."

 
All comments collected in interviews except Zakaria Aboukhlal, Yehvann Diouf and Breel Embolo (press conference).