“This number demands a lot of responsibility” - Rivaldo makes feelings clear on Lamine Yamal inheriting iconic no.10 shirt at Barcelona

Barcelona legend Rivaldo believes Lamine Yamal deserves the No. 10 shirt at the club. The Spanish forward has been on the rise in recent seasons and is already one of the finest players in the world.

The 17-year-old currently dons the No. 19 shirt, but is expected to become the new No. 10 at Camp Nou before the 2025-26 season. The currently holder of the fabled shirt, Ansu Fati, left the Catalans this summer to join AS Monaco on loan.

The No. 10 shirt at Barcelona has a legacy of its own, having featured on some of the greatest players in history like Diego Maradona and Ronaldinho. Lionel Messi added further stars to the shirt during his lengthy stay at Camp Nou, athough Fati crumbed under it's pressure following La Pulga's departure in 2021.

The 22-year-old was once considered the rightful heir to the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, but his career has gone haywire of late. Rivaldo, however, believes that Lamine Yamal has the personality that matches the shirt.

Speaking recently, as cited by GOAL, the Brazilian insisted that the Catalans' No. 10 shirt is in goods hands.

"Barca's number 10 shirt is in very good shape. I think he deserves it, because this number demands a lot of responsibility, but he has a lot of personality," said Rivaldo.

He continued:

"I don't think it's going to be a problem for him, because he plays with incredible calmness and doesn't seem to be the age he is when you see him on the pitch. Yamal has the personality that is expected of a 25 or 26-year-old player."

Rivaldo, interestingly, wore the No. 10 shirt during his final two seasons with Barcelona.

How many goals has Lamine Yamal scored for Barcelona so far?

Lamine Yamal broke into the scenes at Barcelona under former manager Xavi, wearing the No. 41 during his debut. The Spaniard shifted to the No. 27 in the 2023-24 season, before picking up the No. 19 shirt at the start of last summer.

Yamal has been outstanding for the Catalans so far, registering 25 goals and 34 assists from 106 games to date. The LaLiga champions have already tied him down to a new deal until 2031.

Barcelona's decision to shift the Spaniard to the No. 10 shirt is a strategic move, given that they have just launched their new kit. The Catalans want to represent Lamine Yamal as the global face of the club.

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Edited by Deepungsu Pandit