“It’s a ritual…”: Senne Lammens reveals emotional reason for special numbers on his gloves

Manchester United secured the signature of Senne Lammens this summer from Royal Antwerp in a reported £18.1 million deal.

The Red Devils were seeking an upgrade on Andre Onana, who had conceded 150 goals from 102 games since arriving at the Theatre of Dreams in the summer of 2023.

The Cameroonian had divided opinion among fans, and his deputy, Altay Bayindir, had performed no better. In a bid to address the situation, the Premier League giants secured the services of Lammens on deadline day. Onana, meanwhile, departed on a season-long loan to Turkish club Trabzonspor.

Baby Courtois

The Belgian ace had made a name for himself with Antwerp, with his shot-stopping skills earning him comparisons to Real Madrid’s Thibaut Courtois.

Ruben Amorim afforded him time to settle down at United, before handing him his debut against Sunderland in October. Lammens responded by keeping a clean sheet in the 2-0 win and has retained his place ever since.

Senne Lammens Premier League stats: 2025/26 Season

Source: Premier League website.

The Belgian has brought much-needed composure between the sticks, and his assured presence has been a key factor in the Red Devils’ recent resurgence.

It was recently observed that the 23 year old has the numbers 8 and 24 written on his gloves, and he has now provided an explanation for the same.

A tribute to Kobe Bryant

In a recent interview with Sky Sports, Lammens was asked to shed light on the matter and he said: “Nobody has asked me yet. It’s #8 and #24 [on my gloves].”

“When I was growing up and a young goalkeeper, I had difficulties. My personality was calm, steady, mellow, more introverted. Some guy gave me a book called ‘The alter ego’ – when you step onto the pitch you kind of turn into another guy, like a mental switch.”

“I’m a BIG basketball guy and one of my idols is Kobe Bryant, and his mentality, so the #8 and #24 are the numbers on his back. When I step onto the pitch, it’s a quick reminder to switch on, so during the game I look at it. It’s a ritual that I do now.”

INEOS have worked hard to add not just good players, but also the right personalities to the squad, and Lammens already looks like a great addition to Amorim’s ensemble.

Final Thoughts

Lammens arrived as a relatively unproven name this summer, but he has coped quite well with the pressure of the Premier League. United have had trouble with their backline for a while, and while there have been improvements this season, the issues are not entirely resolved yet.

Once the gaps are addressed and there’s a settled backline guarding the Belgian, one can expect him to get even better.

Senne Lammens reveals the meanings behind the numbers on his gloves pic.twitter.com/PigyXy9cQu

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) December 5, 2025

Featured image Gareth Copley via Getty Images

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