Yamal Receives Shirt Number 10
La Liga champions Barcelona announced on Wednesday that they had awarded the number 10 shirt, made famous by club legends, most recently Argentine Lionel Messi, to their rising international star, Lamine Yamal.
The Catalan club wrote on social media: "Our number 10," accompanied by a video featuring the player.
The 18-year-old winger, who has been frequently compared to Messi and also graduated from the club's La Masia youth academy, helped the Catalan giants win the domestic treble (La Liga, Copa del Rey, and Super Cup) last season.
Yamal has scored 25 goals for the club in over 100 appearances since making his debut in 2023 at the age of 15, wearing the number 41 shirt.
After a season wearing the number 27, Yamal followed in Messi's footsteps last summer by wearing the number 19, which the Argentine wore at the club between 2005 and 2008.
Ansu Fati inherited Messi's number 10 shirt in 2021, when the Inter Miami player left Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain. Due to a series of injuries, Fati was unable to fully realize his potential at Barcelona and moved on loan to Monaco earlier this month. Barcelona decided to give him the number 10 shirt. Other stars, including the late Argentine Diego Armando Maradona and Brazilians Ronaldinho and Rivaldo, have worn the number 10 shirt for Barcelona in the past.