Barcelona shocked the world in 2021 by announcing that Lionel Messi would leave the club. In the blink of an eye, the Argentine star had to pack his bags and joined Paris Saint-Germain.
It was a tough breakup both for Leo and the club. While the 7x Ballon d’Or winner struggled to settle in at the Parc des Princes, Barca were unable to string good results together amid a financial crisis.
The Catalan side tried to move on by giving Ansu Fati the No. 10 jersey previously worn by Messi, but things didn’t go to plan. The Spanish youngster was sent to Brighton on loan this summer, and the club made a surprising decision with the shirt.
Barcelona’s decision on the historic No. 10 jersey
For the first time since 1995, no Barcelona player is using the emblematic No. 10 shirt. Even though they have a star-studded squad this season, no one picked up the number left by Ansu Fati’s departure.
Robert Lewandowski will continue wearing No. 9, Ikay Gundogan chose No. 22, Pedri is happy with his No. 8 and Gavi is not changing the No. 6. Joao Felix, meanwhile, has been given the No. 14 shirt.
How long has Lionel Messi played for Barcelona?
Lionel Messi spent 21 years at Barcelona, joining the academy ‘La Masia’ as a 13-year-old kid in 2000. As a professional player, he played 17 seasons at Barca.
What’s Lionel Messi’s contract at Inter Miami?
Lionel Messi signed a two-and-a-half year contract with Inter Miami, keeping him tied with the MLS team through 2025.