The secret lies with Mohamed Noor: why does Rios wear the defenders' shirt at Al-Ittihad?

The Colombian midfielder joined "the Tigers" on loan

Al-Ittihad have revealed the shirt number their new Colombian signing Richard Rios will wear next season.

The Saudi club confirmed Rios's arrival early yesterday morning, Thursday, joining on loan from Benfica until the end of the current season with no buy option, according to press reports.

Posting on their official "X" account today, Friday, Al-Ittihad laid out the details of the deal and confirmed the Colombian midfielder will wear the number 5.

Here's the odd part. That shirt has long belonged to defenders. Five of the last six players to wear it at Al-Ittihad were defenders, most recently Italian Luiz Felipe between 2023 and 2025.

Stranger still, Rios has never worn the number 5 in his career. His last shirt at Benfica was 20, the same number worn by Al-Ittihad defender and current captain Ahmed Sharahili.

At Palmeiras, Rios wore the number 8, now the property of new arrival Mokhtar Ali from Al-Ettifaq, as well as the number 27, currently held by Ahmed Al-Ghamdi.

The one available number Rios had previously worn, the 18 he sported at Guarani and Mazatlan, has been retired at Al-Ittihad for around 13 years in tribute to their legend Mohammed Noor, who left the club in 2013.

Some reports suggest Rios will be in the Al-Ittihad squad for the Clasico against traditional rivals Al-Nassr tomorrow, Saturday, in the fifth round of the Saudi Roshn League.