 "Lamine Yamal will wear the No.10 jersey at Barcelona from the 2025-26 season. Image: Reuters")
Barcelona on Wednesday officially anointed Lamine Yamal as the successor of Lionel Messi as the 18-year-old was handed over jersey No.10 during his contract extension in a special ceremony. Yamal, who is often compared to Barcelona great Messi, has signed a new extension till 2031 and will now wear the No.10 jersey, which was also worn by greats like Ronaldinho and Diego Maradona in the club’s history.
Naturally, Yamal was bombarded with questions regarding continuing the legacy of Messi and other greats who wore the No.10 jersey at Barcelona. But the Euro 2024 winner handled them excellently as he refused to make a deal out of it.
“Messi has made his own path, I’m going to make mine, and the number 10 comes from Ansu now. So, I will try to make all the Cules happy, those who are there and those who are at home,” Yamal said.
Yamal speaks of carrying forward Messi’s legacy
On carrying forward Messi, Ronaldinho and Maradona’s legacies, he said: “I hope so, they are three legends of football, three legends of this club. I would take everything from each of them. Grateful for the club’s trust, and I will try to continue that legacy.”
At just 18, Yamal has already been involved in several controversies related to his personal life , even as admiration for his electrifying football continues to grow among fans and experts. The footballer, however, isn’t perturbed about the criticism and doesn’t go looking for the praise.
“The truth is that both criticism and praise, if they are not from my family or from people very close to me, I am indifferent, because otherwise, one day I will be very high and another very low,” the winger said.
Yamal targets Champions League, World Cup
Reflecting on the mega contract extension and its meaning, Yamal said: “What this renewal means is that I will continue to play for the club of my life, I will continue to enjoy it. There is no pressure on me, I will continue to enjoy myself with another number.”
Now that the contract extension is completed, Yamal can concentrate on his next big aim of winning the Champions League with the club. “I haven’t won the Champions League, so winning the Champions League and the World Cup," Yamal said when asked about his ambitions. “To win the title we have been missing, which has been the Champions League, and to keep growing and playing as well.”