Kylian Mbappe will wear a new jersey number at Real Madrid starting next season—but it won’t be Cristiano Ronaldo’s iconic No. 7.
Starting next season, Kylian Mbappe will wear a new jersey number at Real Madrid. However, he won’t follow in the footsteps of Cristiano Ronaldo, who starred for the Spanish side wearing the iconic No. 7.
“Kylian Mbappe will be Real Madrid’s new number 10,” journalist Fabrizio Romano reported Wednesday on his X account. The decision comes after the No. 10 shirt was vacated following the departure of Luka Modric, who had worn it since 2017.
The Croatian midfielder joined Madrid in 2012 from Tottenham Hotspur and wore No. 19 for his first five years with the club. After James Rodriguez left and freed up the No. 10, Modric took it over, wearing it for the last time during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025—his final tournament with the Spanish side before his move to AC Milan.
As a result, Mbappe will give up the No. 9 jersey he wore during his first year in Spain. That number served him well: across La Liga, Copa del Rey, Spanish Super Cup, UEFA Super Cup, UEFA Champions League, and Club World Cup, Kylian appeared in 59 matches in his debut season with Real Madrid, scoring 44 goals and registering 5 assists.
Confirming the number change, Mbappe posted a brief message on his official X account Wednesday: “10,” he wrote, a clear sign of what’s to come at Real Madrid. The post received over 140,000 likes in just over an hour, along with thousands of replies.
Mbappe chooses a different path than Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo also wore the No. 9 shirt during his first season with Real Madrid. When he arrived from Manchester United in 2009, the No. 7 jersey still belonged to club legend Raul Gonzalez, forcing Ronaldo to choose an alternate number. A year later, after Raul’s departure to Schalke 04, Ronaldo was able to claim his preferred number.
For Mbappe, the No. 9 was never a natural fit—he had only worn it briefly during his early career with AS Monaco. So it makes sense that he would switch at the first opportunity. Unlike Cristiano, however, he won’t take the No. 7 shirt (currently held by Vinicius Junior), but will opt for the No. 10—a number he’s worn in the past.
What numbers has Mbappe worn?
During his early years at AS Monaco, Mbappe rotated through several shirt numbers. He made his debut in 2015 wearing No. 39 and, between then and his departure in 2017, also wore the 33, 29, 13, 11, 9, and 10.
At Paris Saint-Germain, the No. 10 was unavailable—assigned to Neymar Jr., who arrived in the same transfer window—so Mbappe initially wore No. 29. He later switched between the 17, 14, and eventually settled on No. 7.
For the French national team, Mbappe has long worn the No. 10 jersey. It was with that number that he starred at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, where he delivered his first major international performance and helped lead France to the title. Now, he’ll wear the same number for both club and country.
Other stars who have worn Real Madrid’s No. 10 jersey
Beginning next season, Kylian Mbappe will join a distinguished list of players who have had the honor of wearing Real Madrid’s No. 10. Notable names include Ferenc Puskas (after whom FIFA named its annual best goal award), Michael Laudrup, Clarence Seedorf, Luis Figo, Wesley Sneijder, and Mesut Ozil.
From: bolavip.com
