FIFA gave Duterte a number 10 'captain' jersey. He's not the only one

MANILA, Philippines — As the Fédération Internationale de Football Association and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations signed a memorandum of understanding on football collaboration, the 10 leaders received special jerseys from the football body.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino and ASEAN Secretary-General Lim Jock Hoi signed the deal to promote football in the region.

President Rodrigo Duterte, along with the other nine ASEAN leaders, witnessed the signing of the MOU at Impact Exhibition and Convention Center in Nonthaburi, Thailand last Saturday.

Only Duterte and Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah received jerseys with number 10, signifying their status as heads of state. According to a report from Bangkok-based The Nation, the number 10 equivalent to team captain.

Seven ASEAN leaders received jerseys with number nine — Malaysia' Mahathir Mohamad, Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi, Singapore's Lee Hsien Loong, Thailand's Prayut Chan-O-Cha, Vietnam's Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Cambodia's Hun Sen and Laos' Thongloun Sisoulith.

The number nine, usually assigned to players in forward position, signify the seven leaders' position as prime ministers or as heads of government.

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) country leaders (L to 2nd R), Vietnam's Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen, Indonesia's President Joko Widodo, and Laos' Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith, hold up football jerseys with their names on them as ASEAN Secretary General Lim Jock Hoi (R) applaud following a signing ceremony between ASEAN and FIFA during the organisation's 35th ASEAN summit in Bangkok on November 2, 2019. AFP/Manan Vatsyayana

Indonesia's Joko Widodo got a special number 21 as his country will host the 2021 Under-20 World Cup.

Under Indonesia's presidential system, Widodo is both head of government and state, Jakarta Globe reported.

In a statement posted on its website, FIFA said the MOU with ASEAN covers collaboration on areas with a strong focus on education, such as the Football for Schools Program that promotes football for boys and girls in schools across Southeast Asia.

"The alliance will also see FIFA and ASEAN collaborate in the implementation of common strategies to promote healthy lifestyles and inclusive participation in football, particularly for women and marginalised communities," the statement read.

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