Barcelona have decided to reward star player Lamine Yamal for his exceptional performances last season. He was one of the primary reasons the Catalans won the domestic treble.
Yamal is easily considered one of the brightest young talents in world football. The 18-year-old has taken the football world by storm just with his talent and skill set.
He was crucial in guiding Barcelona to the La Liga crown last season as he scored nine goals and provided 13 assists in 35 league appearances.
The youngster also played a pivotal role in their Supercopa de Espana and Copa del Rey triumphs. He scored a goal in the Supercopa de Espana win over Real Madrid.
While Yamal broke into the senior team in the 2023/24 campaign, last season was his first full senior campaign and one of his biggest litmus tests.
The Spaniard passed it with flying colours and therefore Barcelona are all set to reward him by handing the iconic jersey number 10, as per Mundo Deportivo.
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In the last couple of years, for Barcelona and also for Spain, Yamal has become the difference-maker and the most important player.
Despite his age, his performances have often turned games single-handedly and therefore the Blaugrana believe that he can carry the weight of the number 10 jersey.
Legends like Lionel Messi and Ronaldinho, who have had sensational legacies for Barcelona, have worn the iconic jersey number.
Now the onus will be on Yamal to don the great kit and carry the weight of expectations that come with it.
Who donned the Barcelona No. 10 jersey before Yamal?
Yamal's spectacular performances and rise to the senior team have often drawn comparisons with Messi. Now, with the number 10 jersey, the comparisons will only increase.
However, not every player has succeeded in carrying the weight of expectations that come with this kit. In the past, Ansu Fati donned the number 10 kit.
A couple of years back, Fati was considered one of the best young talents. The forward broke several goalscoring and appearances records.
But couldn't sustain the workload, and a couple of rough injuries derailed his rising career at Barcelona.
Fati is now heading to AS Monaco in search of more regular gametime. Hence, freeing up the kit number for Yamal.
But in between, there were discussions of Vitor Roque getting that jersey. The Brazilian also had a lot of promise, but even he failed to cement his place and eventually returned to Brazil, joining Palmeiras.
The examples serve as a warning for Yamal, who is experiencing an upward curve in his career at the moment. But he needs to continue working hard to justify the number 10 jersey.
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