Youngster Lamine Yamal has been handed Barcelona’s iconic No.10 shirt famously worn by eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi, ahead of the new season.

Barça confirmed the shirt number switch on Wednesday, when Yamal was joined by his grandmother, close friends, and family to celebrate his contract extension. The new deal, which was finalised in May, keeps him at the club until 2031.

The iconic No.10 jersey at Barcelona has been worn by legends like Diego Maradona, Ronaldinho and Rivaldo, but none reached the heights that Messi did during his time at the club, where he won eight Ballon d’Or titles.

After Messi’s departure to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021, the shirt was handed to Ansu Fati, a highly-rated talent at that time from the club’s La Masia academy. But he struggled to live up to the expectations that came with it.

Yamal’s switch from the No.19 shirt mirrors Messi’s transition, as the Argentine also wore 19 between 2006 and 2008.

Speaking to the club’s channels, Yamal said, “I think the renewal means that I’ll stay at the club of my life, I’ll continue enjoying myself and winning, because I’m at the best club in the world.

“I don’t feel pressure; I’m at the best club in the world. Messi has made his way, I’m going to make mine, and the ‘10’ comes from Ansu anyway. I’ll try to make my way.”

As a teen, Yamal is already regarded as one of the brightest young stars in the world of  football, with impressive stats before clocking 18, both for club and country, by participating in two LaLiga victories and helping Spain win Euro 2024.

In his campaign for the 2024/2025 season, Yamal delivered an incredible tally with 18 goals and 25 assists in 55 appearances, helping his side to achieve victories domestically with a treble (La Liga, Copa, Supercopa), while also pushing his side deep in the Champions League.

Asked what his manager, Hansi Flick, said about the switch after three days of pre-season training, the teen laughed, saying, “He told me there’s a double session tomorrow; he congratulated me and told me to go to bed early. My teammates congratulated me.”

This iconic kit number switch comes just days after Yamal celebrated his 18th birthday.