Since Lionel Messi’s departure, Barcelona had been waiting for a player with a similar spark—someone who could carry the mantle of creativity and brilliance. With the emergence of 18-year-old Lamine Yamal, the club believes it has finally found that player, officially handing him the iconic No. 10 jersey.
The announcement was made on Barcelona’s social media channels with a photo of Yamal alongside club president Joan Laporta, holding the new jersey. The caption read: “A photo for the history books”.
Yamal takes over the number following Ansu Fati’s departure to AS Monaco on loan. Fati had been widely regarded as Messi’s successor but never fully lived up to those lofty expectations in a Barcelona shirt.
This will mark Yamal’s fourth different jersey number with the senior team. He wore No. 41 when he made his debut during the 2022–23 season, followed by No. 27 the next year, and No. 19 last season—the same number Messi wore before taking over the iconic 10.
How old was Lionel Messi when he first wore the No. 10?
Lionel Messi inherited Barcelona’s No. 10 jersey at age 21, following Ronaldinho’s departure to AC Milan in 2008. He debuted with the number on July 24 of that year in a preseason friendly against Hibernian in Scotland, scoring twice in a 6–0 win.
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Messi is widely regarded as the greatest player in Barcelona history. He wore the No. 10 from 2008 until his departure to PSG in 2021, appearing in 708 matches for the club, scoring 630 goals and adding 250 assists.
During his time with the No. 10, Messi led Barcelona to unprecedented success: eight La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey crowns, six Spanish Super Cups, three UEFA Champions League trophies, three FIFA Club World Cups, and three UEFA Super Cups.
