Barcelona’s No. 10 jersey will belong to Lamine Yamal starting next season. But Lionel Messi had another successor before him.
On Wednesday, Barcelona officially confirmed that Lamine Yamal will wear the team’s iconic No. 10 shirt at just 18 years old. It’s a major responsibility for the young winger, who will now carry on the legacy of Lionel Messi. But there was another player who received that honor first.
Messi wore the No. 10 from Ronaldinho’s departure in the summer of 2008 until his own exit from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021. At the time, there was speculation that the jersey might be left vacant to avoid putting that kind of pressure on any other player, but it was eventually given to Ansu Fati.
At that time, the forward—born in Guinea-Bissau and naturalized as a Spanish citizen—was just 18 years old and had played fewer than 50 matches for the Catalan club, but there was high anticipation surrounding his potential based on what he had shown over the previous two seasons.
Fati had already broken several records in his short time as a professional: he was the second-youngest player to debut for Barcelona and the youngest to score a goal, at 16 years and 304 days. He also became the youngest La Liga champion. His performances earned him a spot on the Spanish national team, where he became the second-youngest debutant and the youngest goal scorer. All of those marks have since been surpassed by Lamine Yamal.
How did Ansu Fati fare with Barcelona’s No. 10 jersey?
Heading into the 2021–22 season, Barcelona faced the uncertainty of competing for the first time in nearly two decades without Lionel Messi on the field. Things didn’t go well, as they failed to win any trophies and were even eliminated in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League—something that hadn’t happened in over 20 years.
Things weren’t much better for Fati, who struggled with physical issues throughout the year that limited his playing time. He ended the season with just 15 appearances and 6 goals across all competitions. The following year, his availability improved, featuring in 51 matches, but his performances declined (10 goals and 4 assists).
That led to the Spanish giants sending Ansu on loan for the 2023–24 season to Brighton & Hove Albion, where he also failed to impress. During that Premier League stint, Barcelona left the No. 10 shirt vacant.
After his time in England, Fati returned to the Blaugrana roster for the 2024–25 season, though his involvement was limited: he played just 11 matches without scoring or providing any assists. He was lower in head coach Hansi Flick’s pecking order behind players like Yamal, Ferran Torres, and Raphinha. That’s why this summer he was loaned out again—this time to AS Monaco.
Other stars who wore Barcelona’s No. 10 jersey
Lamine Yamal will soon join the list of stars who have worn Barcelona’s No. 10 shirt. Of course, the standout name is Lionel Messi, who wore it from 2008 to 2021 while establishing himself as the most important player in the club’s history. But before him, other icons also held that honor.
In the 1950s and 60s, Laszlo Kubala and Luis Suarez Miramontes shined in the No. 10, and later, Diego Armando Maradona wore it before making his move to Napoli. In the 1990s, a tradition of Brazilian stars followed, with Romario and Rivaldo, eventually leading to Ronaldinho—Messi’s mentor.
From: bolavip.com
