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FC Cincinnati and Neymar could find themselves in a tricky position if the Brazilian superstar joins the MLS club in the coming months, as his preferred shirt numbers are already occupied.
While any confirmation of Neymar signing with FC Cincinnati remains far from certain—The Athletic reports that only early-stage discussions have taken place—the Ohio MLS club would need to make significant adjustments to accommodate him.
Not only would they need to move one of the team's Designated Players if he were to earn more than $1,803,125 per season, but several players might also need to change shirt numbers, with Neymar's preferred numbers 10, 11 and 12, all worn at various points in his career, already assigned.
Here, Sports Illustrated examines which numbers he could wear at Cincinnati should the club choose to retain both Evander and Miles Robinson as two of its DP players.
Number 10 - Taken by Evander
The most natural choice for Neymar would be his iconic No. 10 shirt. He donned the number at Brazil, Santos, Al Hilal and Paris Saint-Germain.
However, Cincinnati's current standout Brazilian midfielder already wears it. Evander, widely regarded as one of MLS's top attacking midfielders, has sported the number since his arrival from the Portland Timbers ahead of the 2025 season.
While he would likely hand over the shirt number for one of his nation's football legends, there is no guarantee it would be made available.
Number 11 - Taken by Samuel Gidi
The number Neymar famously wore during his iconic spell at Barcelona and for a portion of his time at PSG was 11. That shirt is also unavailable at FC Cincinnati, though it belongs to a non-DP player, Samuel Gidi.
The Ghanaian-Slovakian midfielder has worn the No. 11 throughout virtually his entire senior career, with a brief stint at MSK Zilina B in Slovakia being the only exception, where he wore No. 8. At international level, he represented Slovakia's U-21 men's national team wearing No. 22.
Number 12 - Taken by Miles Robinson
Neymar has worn the No. 12 kit on one occasion, during a Coupe de France fixture for PSG against FC Lorient in 2020, due to regulations imposed by the French federation and competition organizers. It would not be his preferred choice, and the number is currently held by USMNT center back Miles Robinson, who is reportedly the highest-paid defender in MLS.
Number 7 - Available
The No. 7 shirt is currently unassigned at FC Cincinnati and is the number Neymar briefly wore with Brazil's U-20 side in 2011. While it would not be his first, second, or even third preference, it would cause minimal disruption if he were to take it.
Nevertheless, all signs suggest that a high-profile player of his stature would likely claim the No. 10, pushing Evander to switch to a different number.