Young Barcelona star Lamine Yamal officially inherited the club’s iconic number 10 shirt — once worn by Lionel Messi — on Wednesday.
“Messi made his path, and I will make mine,” Yamal told reporters during a club event at the Spotify Camp Nou. “I’ll work as hard as I can, give everything, and try to make the Barça fans — whether in the stadium or at home — proud.”
The 18-year-old winger, often hailed as Messi’s natural successor after rising through La Masia, played a key role in Barça’s domestic treble last season. In May, he signed a long-term deal keeping him at the club until 2031, becoming one of the highest-paid players in the squad.
“I hope to enjoy myself more than last year and make my dreams come true,” Yamal added, revealing his ambitions of winning both the Champions League with Barcelona and the World Cup with Spain.
Since debuting at 15 in 2023 wearing the number 41, Yamal has made over 100 appearances and scored 25 goals for the Catalan giants.
“Barça is my life — I’ve been here since I was seven. Every kid in La Masia dreams of reaching the first team, and I’m living that dream. Now, I have to keep working,” he said. “When I was little, I dreamed of playing for Barça and wearing this number.”
Yamal first switched to the number 19 last season — the same number Messi wore between 2005 and 2008. The number 10 shirt had been passed to Ansu Fati in 2021 following Messi’s departure to PSG.
