Barcelona’s rising star, Lamine Yamal, has officially inherited the club’s revered number 10 shirt—once worn by football legend Lionel Messi. The announcement, made at the Spotify Camp Nou club store on Wednesday, marks a defining moment in the 18-year-old’s fast-rising career.
“Messi made his path and I will make mine,” Yamal told reporters, adding, “I will work as hard as I can, give everything and try to make those Barca fans who are there happy and those who are at home.”
Yamal, a product of Barcelona’s famed La Masia youth academy, has drawn comparisons to Messi for his style of play and meteoric rise. After helping the Catalan giants to a domestic treble last season, he signed a new long-term contract until 2031, making him one of the club’s highest earners.
The Spanish winger debuted for the senior team in 2023 at just 15 years old, wearing shirt number 41. Last season, he wore number 27, before switching to 19—the same number Messi wore early in his career. Now, stepping into the iconic No. 10 jersey, Yamal joins a lineage of legends including Messi, Ronaldinho, Diego Maradona, and Rivaldo.
“Barca is my life, I’ve been here since I was seven. For all kids from La Masia, their dream is to make it to the first team—I’m doing it, and I have to keep working,” he said.
Yamal has already scored 25 goals in over 100 appearances for the club. His ambitions are clear: win the Champions League with Barcelona and the World Cup with Spain.
“I hope to enjoy myself more than last year and make my dreams come true,” he added.
The announcement comes just days after Yamal’s 18th birthday celebration stirred controversy. Spain’s Ministry of Social Rights requested a public prosecutor investigation after reports emerged that entertainers with dwarfism were hired for the private event. Yamal responded briefly, saying:
“In the end I work for Barca, I play for Barca, but when I’m away from the club I enjoy my life, and that’s all.”
As the young winger prepares for the new season, all eyes will be on whether Lamine Yamal can carry the weight of one of football’s most iconic numbers—and make it his own.
