FC Barcelona will have a new owner of their '10' shirt from this Wednesday. Lamine Yamal receives the mythical number in his third full season with the first team, after finishing 24/25 with 18 goals and 23 assists in 56 games, along with brilliant performances that profile him as a favorite for the 2025 Ballon d'Or.
Lamine already has 25 goals and 32 assists in 106 official appearances with the first team. In his record are two Leagues, one Copa del Rey and one Spanish Super Cup, in addition to a European Championship with Spain in 2024.
Will the Mataró native be able to shine with the '10' on his back? At FCBN we review how the first year at Barça was for the last three wearers of the mythical number that, from 95/96, has had a fixed owner in each season.
Ronaldinho, pure magic from his debut, but without titles
In 2003, Ronaldinho landed in Catalonia from Paris Saint-Germain with the aim of becoming the great reference of Joan Laporta's sports project in his first term. Barça came from three years to forget, without lifting any title and with multiple failed signings.
After the departure of Juan Román Riquelme, the '10' was in the hands of the Brazilian, who by that time had already won a World Cup with his national team and, although that season also ended without titles, 'Ronnie' shone with his own light adding 22 goals and 10 assists in 45 games.
Two years later, the Porto Alegre native would win the Ballon d'Or, leading the team led by Frank Rijkaard that lifted two Leagues and a Champions League.
Leo Messi, the star of the best team in history
In the summer of 2008, Leo Messi, in his fifth season with the first team, took the '10' from Ronaldinho. The Brazilian left through the back door to Milan after the arrival of Pep Guardiola to the Barça bench. What was supposed to be a transition campaign ended in glory with the first treble in the history of Spanish football.
With an imperial Messi, Barça won the League, Cup and Champions League brilliantly, laying the foundations for the team that dominated the world in the following three years. 'La Pulga' scored 38 goals and 17 assists in 51 games, winning the Ballon d'Or (his first of eight) unanimously.
Ansu Fati, sentenced by injuries
Leo Messi left for PSG in 2021 and the '10' remained on Ansu Fati's back. The Bissau native surprised in his debut season for his talent and personality, but muscle injuries significantly reduced his performance from November 2020.
The continuous problems in the left meniscus and the femoral biceps of the same leg barely allowed him to play 15 games in 21/22, adding 6 goals in 574 minutes of action.
Ansu was only able to play a full season in 22/23, but his performance never lived up to expectations. In 2023 he went on loan to Brighton and this year he opted for the same route heading to Monaco, after a season in ostracism with those of Hansi Flick.
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