Africa-Press – Mauritius. After an incredible breakthrough season, Barcelona’s 18-year-old winger Lamine Yamal was given the iconic number 10 shirt that club legend Lionel Messi once wore.
As Barcelona won the domestic triple of La Liga, Copa del Rey, and Spanish Super Cup and advanced to the Champions League semi-finals, Yamal received the jersey following an outstanding season in which he scored 18 goals and contributed 25 assists.
In May, the teenage player, who wore the number 19 shirt the previous season, signed a contract extension that would keep him at Barcelona until 2031, securing his long-term future with the team.
In a special ceremony on Wednesday, club president Joan Laporta gave him the number 10 shirt.
Since Messi wore the number 10 shirt during his trophy-filled period at the club that formed his career, it holds a lot of weight at Camp Nou.
The Argentine left Barcelona following the 2020–21 season because of the team’s financial difficulties, however he went with 34 trophies and 672 goals, the club’s all-time top scorer.
Greats like Diego Maradona and Ronaldinho also wore the number 10 shirt at Barcelona, but Yamal declared he would not be constrained by its history.
“Messi paved the way with the number 10, I will make mine,” Yamal told reporters.
“They are three soccer and club legends. Every kid dreams of having something from Messi, Ronaldinho and Maradona… I’ll try to carry on that legacy.
“First, my dream was to debut for Barca and wear the number 10. Everyone who grows up here dreams of that. I’m grateful to the club.”
The shirt was given to talented winger Ansu Fati when Messi left, but the now-22-year-old fell short of his early potential and was eventually loaned to Brighton & Hove Albion.
In order to give Yamal the opportunity to inherit one of football’s most iconic shirt numbers, Fati will spend the upcoming season on loan at AS Monaco.
Yamal stated that winning the titles that are lacking from his trophy case is his next objective after winning the European Championship with Spain the previous year.
“I haven’t won the Champions League and the World Cup,” he said. “These are my goals now.”
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