Barcelona's sacred No.10: Can Lamine Yamal carry torch lit by likes of Ronaldinho and Messi?

Lamine Yamal inherits Barcelona’s iconic number 10 shirt, stepping into the legacy of legends like Lionel Messi, Ronaldinho, and Maradona.

The Boy Who Inherited a Legacy

It’s not every day a 17-year-old is handed the weight of an entire club’s history. But that’s exactly what’s happened with Lamine Yamal.

Next season, the teenager will walk out at the Olympic Stadium not just as a rising star, but wearing the number 10 jersey—Barcelona’s most sacred number. It’s a shirt drenched in history, brilliance, heartbreak, and unmatched greatness. And now, it belongs to a boy who’s still finishing his first year as a professional.

The news came quietly—Ansu Fati’s move to AS Monaco officially freed up the number. But for fans who’ve lived through the Messi era, and the ones before it, this wasn’t just a squad change. It was the start of a new story.

What That Number Really Means in Barcelona

The number 10 at Barcelona doesn’t just mean you’re an attacker or a playmaker. It means you’re the heartbeat. The soul. The player fans look to when things fall apart.

For more than a decade, Lionel Messi wore it like it was sewn into his skin. He didn’t just carry the team—he was the team. With the 10 on his back, Messi made the impossible feel routine. Nutmegs, solo runs, clutch goals, late winners, titles… all while barely breaking a sweat. He wore the same number for Argentina too, turning it into something almost mythical.

Before him, there was Ronaldinho—the man who brought joy back to Camp Nou. His smile, his samba-style dribbles, his jaw-dropping goals. He arrived when the club was lost, and reminded everyone what it meant to feel football again.

Ansu Fati: A Dream That Almost Was

When Messi left, it felt like the end of an era. And then, the club made a bold call—hand the 10 to a teenager named Ansu Fati. At the time, it felt right. Fati was electric, fearless, and born from La Masia’s ever-glowing flame.

But football is cruel.

Injuries came fast, and they didn’t let go. There were flashes, yes. But flashes weren’t enough when the weight of Messi’s shadow hung over every step. Now, Ansu starts fresh in Monaco, and the 10 shirt finds a new owner.

The Ones Who Wore It Before: Maradona, Rivaldo, Romario

Long before Messi made it eternal, Diego Maradona gave the number 10 its edge. His stint in Barcelona wasn’t smooth—controversies, injuries, illness—but even so, his genius couldn’t be hidden. He was applauded at the Bernabeu. That’s all you need to know.

Rivaldo kept the club alive during darker days. Joan Gaspart’s presidency was chaotic, but Rivaldo still produced moments of magic. Who can forget that last-minute bicycle kick against Valencia to seal Champions League qualification?

Romario, too, lit up Camp Nou in the early '90s. He only stayed a season and a half, but what a ride it was. Goals galore, a La Liga title, and a style that was uniquely his own—even if numbers weren't fixed back then, Romario wore the 10 like he was born for it.

Ronaldinho: The One Who Made the Club Smile Again

And then came Ronnie. Barcelona hadn’t won a thing in five years. The mood was bleak. Then this curly-haired magician from Brazil showed up and reminded the world what beauty looked like in football.

He didn’t just win matches—he won hearts. And when Real Madrid fans stood up to applaud him at the Bernabeu, it was clear: he was more than a player. He was a moment in time.

Ronaldinho passed the torch to Messi. Now, Messi’s torch has been passed to Yamal.

Lamine Yamal: A Star in the Making

Lamine Yamal was born in 2007—when Messi was already dazzling the world. He’s grown up idolising the very players whose shirt he now wears. That’s surreal. But what’s even more surreal is how ready he seems.

He’s not flashy in interviews. He doesn’t make big declarations. But give him the ball, and he talks loud enough. In his limited minutes last season, Yamal already showed why coaches and fans whisper that he could be Barcelona’s next big thing.

And now, he’ll wear the number 10.

Is it too much pressure for someone so young? Maybe. But that’s Barcelona. La Masia boys don’t just learn football—they learn responsibility.

From Iniesta’s humility to Xavi’s leadership, from Messi’s brilliance to Busquets’ calm, this club has always asked its own to rise early, grow fast, and dream big.

Yamal will have his stumbles. He’s human. But if he keeps working, keeps smiling, and keeps daring to play the Bara way—who knows how far he can go?

Big Boots, Bigger Belief

At the end of the day, this is about more than numbers. It’s about belief. In a club that still trusts its academy. In a game that still finds room for magic. In a kid, not yet 18, who now carries the weight of legends on his back—and the hope of millions in his heart.

Lamine Yamal is Barcelona’s new number 10.

Let the next chapter begin.