When Lionel Messi left Barcelona in 2021, the No. 10 shirt didn’t just become available. It became a ghost, a symbol too heavy for most to wear.
For a while, that burden fell to Ansu Fati. The teenager once heralded as Messi’s heir is now set for a new start in Monaco, leaving behind the number that defined an era. In his place, Barcelona is preparing to place that sacred trust in another prodigy: Lamine Yamal.
According to reports from Mundo Deportivo and Cadena SER, the club has already made its decision. Once Fati’s move is finalized, Yamal will inherit the most iconic shirt in world football. The official announcement is expected on July 1, with a formal presentation likely set for July 13—his 18th birthday and the first day of preseason.
The number that defines a legacy
Barcelona’s No. 10 isn’t just a number. It’s a declaration. Messi made it eternal. Ronaldinho, Rivaldo, and Maradona gave it grace. To wear it is to assume the club’s creative soul. And to wear it well? That’s something else entirely.
When Fati took it on in 2021, the move felt poetic. But injuries disrupted his rise. A loan to Brighton followed. Now, with a fresh chapter beginning in France, Barcelona is ready to turn the page.
And Yamal is already writing his own story.
At just 17, he’s a full international with Spain. He became the nation’s youngest-ever scorer, starred at Euro 2024, and broke records across Europe. His touch is natural, his vision clear, his composure beyond his years. Internally, Barcelona doesn’t just see a future star. They see the cornerstone.
That’s why the jersey switch will come hand-in-hand with a new long-term contract—reportedly including a $1.07 billion release clause. The club isn’t just making a footballing decision. It’s making a branding one.
He’s already appeared in Nike campaigns wearing the No. 10. His father posted on Instagram: “Lamine, you don’t just deserve the number 10… you deserve much more than that.” Yamal himself added to the symbolism, sharing a photo of Maradona in blaugrana, donning the same number.
He understands the meaning. He welcomes it.
Still, he’s handled the moment with care. “At the moment, Ansu has it. I wear number 19 and I really like it—it’s brought me luck,” he said in June. “When I go to shoot at goal, I’m not going to think about what number I’m wearing.”
But now the decision has been made. The kit is printed. Nike is aligned. And Yamal, by all accounts, is ready.
Among fans, opinion is divided. Some caution against rushing expectations, invoking Bojan, Fati, and the scars of past hype. Others believe this is fate. “If there’s a No. 10 at Barça, it should be him,” one supporter wrote. “He’s already got that Messi magic.”
Thierry Henry and Pep Guardiola have added thoughtful perspective. Henry referenced Bojan’s struggle with pressure. Guardiola praised Yamal’s talent but emphasized the inevitable highs and lows ahead. Still, even he admitted, “He is extraordinary.”
But at Barcelona, extraordinary isn’t always enough.
Soon, Yamal will wear the 10. When he does, it won’t be just a number stitched on his back. It’ll be a signal. A gamble. A promise. The club is turning a page in its story and handing him the pen.
Because this number isn’t about nostalgia, it’s about what’s next.
