The histories and legacies of clubs have been shaped by unique talents who not only shine on the field but also leave an indelible legacy. And in that vein, few symbols carry as much weight as the number “10,” something truly memorable at Barcelona.
Ronaldinho was one of those who brought joy and hope back to Barça with the ’10’, before passing it on to Lionel Messi, and years later, Lamine Yamal wears it. What does Dinho think of his successors?
Ronaldinho shares his thoughts on Yamal as Messi’s successor in the ’10’
The Brazilian soccer legend and the Argentine star formed one of the most iconic duos in Barcelona’s history, playing 80 matches together and scoring 67 goals between 2004 and 2008.
In fact, they formed a strong bond, and before Dinho left for AC Milan in 2008, he initiated one of the most iconic transitions by personally asking Messi to inherit his number 10 jersey.
From there, Leo carried on his teammate’s legacy and elevated that number to legendary status, becoming one of the greatest players of all time, scoring 672 goals and winning 35 titles.
After leaving for PSG and now at Inter Miami, a new star has taken on this responsibility: Lamine Yamal. Despite his youth, the academy product’s talent is already generating excitement. This season, under Hansi Flick, Yamal has played 41 official matches for Barça, recording 21 goals and 15 assists across all competitions.
For this reason, when asked about the legacy of the No. 10 jersey and whether it is “well cared for” in an interview with Olé, Ronaldinho praised Lamine:
Without a doubt. [Lamine Yamal] is one of the best in the world; he’s still very young, but he’s already doing incredible things. It’s being very well cared for.
He was also asked about the current state of the Barça team he played for from 2003 to 2008: “Without a doubt, it remains one of the strongest teams in Europe, and I’m always watching and hoping that Barça plays beautifully,” he said.
Thus, the essence of the number 10 jersey lives on at Barça. Following the joys and memorable moments left by Ronaldinho and Messi, today Lamine takes up the pen to continue writing the history of the club, of the legendary jersey, and his own.
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