the history of Barcelona No. 10: maradona, Messi, and Ramin Yamal

the first No. 10 and the dark ages

After the introduction of shirt numbers in Spanish soccer in 1947, Barcelona’s first great No. 10 was Hungarian superstar László Kubala

scoring 281 goals and leading Barcelona to their glory days in the late 1950s, he is a legend in the club’s history.

but after Kubala’s departure, a long dark period followed, with 18 different players in 22 years, none of whom could carry the weight of the number 10.

The ‘Dream Team’ era and Brazilian legends

Breaking the silence was the ‘God of Football’ Diego Maradona

his presence, though short-lived, was intense, and then came Johan Cruyff’s ‘Dream Team’ era, with stars such as Homariu and Hristo Stoichkov passing through the number 10.

in the 2000s, another Brazilian wizard, Rivaldo, was at the height of his powers, scoring 36 goals in a season while wearing the number 10.

From Ronaldinho to Messi

, and now

and finally, the man who made Barcelona’s number 10 the envy of soccer fans around the world

ronaldinho was the owner of the number 10 for five years, electrifying the Camp Nou with his trademark fantastic play and smile.

In 2008, Ronaldinho handed over the iconic number to a young prodigy, Lionel Messi, who was just starting to emerge. And the rest, as they say, is history.

messi went on to become the greatest player in the club’s history, winning countless trophies while wearing the number 10. His number 10 was an icon for an era

.

After Messi’s departure, the number 10 was vacant for a while, and now it’s back to 18-year-old Lamine Yamal

having already stunned the world by winning the Euro 2024 Young Player of the Year award, all eyes are on the young prodigy to see if he can follow in the footsteps of his predecessors and write a new legend

. Frequently asked questions (FAQ

)

what makes Barcelona’s No. 10 so special?

A. Because it has been worn by a succession of South American superstars who have made their mark on football history – Maradona, Homariu, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho, Messi, and others – and has come to symbolize the team’s ace and most creative attacker. Along with Manchester United’s No. 7, it

is

considered the most iconic number in club football

who is Ramin Yamal?

A. Born in 2007, he is a Spanish footballer who is a prodigy winger who came out of FC Barcelona’s youth system, La Masia

he made his first-team debut at the age of 16 and went on to become a global star, leading Spain to victory at Euro 2024 and winning the tournament’s Young Player of the tournament award

.

has there been a player to wear the number 10 since Lionel Messi

? A. Yes, there has. after Messi’s move to Paris Saint-Germain, up-and-comer Ansou Fathi inherited the number 10, but he failed to live up to expectations due to frequent injuries, and it has remained vacant ever since