Cancelo shirt swap for mum

STAR'S EMOTIONAL NO.7 SWITCH

- SIMON MULLOCK

JOAO CANCELO has revealed that he is now wearing the No.7 shirt at Manchester City to honour the memory of his mother after she was tragically killed in a car accident nine years ago.

Cancelo was a teenager progressing through the ranks at Benfica when mum Filomena lost her life after the Audi A3 she was driving was involved in a motorway collision in January 2013.

She had just dropped her husband Joseph at Lisbon Airport and was driving back home with Joao and his brother Pedro asleep on the backseat.

The two boys suffered minor injuries but their mum was killed instantly - and Cancelo asked City if he could take the shirt worn by Raheem Sterling when the England winger moved to Chelsea.

Cancelo explained: "Seven was my mum's favourite number and it was the day she was born: February 7.