Noticed something interesting regarding squad numbers

I was holidaying the game during the summer, a couple weeks at a time and accidentally skipped the day when you have to submit the squad numbers for the upcoming season, so the computer did it for me. What I noticed is that many numbers were changed around from what I had set them before. For example, Dentinho (one from Corinthians) was given the number 11 by me, but the game changed him to 31, then Leandro Gioda (from Independiente) was given number 4 by me, but the computer changed it to number 20. I was curious as to why it gave them these numbers so I did some searching on google about the same real life players. What I found out is that Dentinho's real life number in Corinthians is actually 31 and Gioda's number in Independiente is 20. Found this interesting. Does the game actually recognize their past numbers as one's they like having?

So I played a whole season with the players having those numbers, then came up to that day again when I had to submit them for another season. I looked through my squad and for example Dentinho doesn't actually state his preferred number as being 31, and same for Gioda, however, the game still gave those numbers to them, the same one's they wore at their former clubs.

I think it is in the game, as in the editor there is a box for "Squad Number"- however I think that theres a difference between their current squad number and one that they genuinely prefer over others.

I've seen this too. When you select auto number, the player usually gets the number he has IRL.

it's just preferred number, guys.

a lot of players have preferred numbers in the database and the AI will set it to this at times.

i'd like a field showing what number they had at their previous club, i like to, when possible, give players the same shirt number they had at their previous club.

I'd like the feature to be less cosmetic and actually affect morale.

I agree with CP, if you dont give a player his preffered number, nothing happens, no moaning from the player, no drop in morale, nought.

it actually affecting morale would be good. you have two top strikers who both want #9, who do you give the shirt to, knowing full well that for a while, the person who didnt get the shirt will have worse morale, or if they're not the preofessional type, even longer.

how was something like this even missed when the idea to have preferred numbers was pitched? it makes common sense to have this affect morale.

imagine the added challenge of trying to juggle a team full of players who hae a preferred number!!