In football, numbers hold a special place in history, and some players remain associated with these numbers for a long time. This was reported by Euro-football.ru.
In particular, the number ten is not just a simple number but is accepted as a symbol of creativity, playmaking, and decisive actions in crucial situations by players. Since the 1995/96 season in Spain's La Liga, when players started to be assigned permanent numbers, the significance of the number ten has increased, although this number has not always guaranteed success.
Real Madrid is currently undergoing a rebuilding process. Luka Modric left the team after playing in the white kit for 12 years and moved to Milan.
As a result, Real's legendary number ten has been left vacant. It is still unclear who the new owner will be, but indications suggest that this number is expected to be given to Kylian Mbappe.
Barcelona is also experiencing an important period in its history, especially from the perspective of building the future. The club signed a contract with young star Lamine Yamal until 2031 and confirmed that he would be given the number ten previously worn by Lionel Messi.
The club has high hopes for him and expects that despite his young age, he will become a team leader in the near future. He is currently 17 years old, and Barcelona dreams of him lifting the Champions League trophy.
Experts believe that in the 2025/26 season, the Catalans have a 14.29 percent chance of winning, making them one of the main contenders on the continent. There are both bright and shadowy sides to the number ten at the Camp Nou stadium.
Before the Messi era, some players who played under this number did not deliver the expected results. For example, Finnish player Jari Litmanen, who came to Barcelona from Ajax in 1999, played only 33 games in two seasons and scored four goals.
Similarly, Argentine Juan Roman Riquelme also joined Barcelona in 2002, but he could not play a key role in the team and was limited to six goals in 42 matches. Ronaldinho and Messi gave a positive meaning to this number, erasing the negative remnants of the past.
After Messi left, the number ten was in Ansu Fati's hands. This decision was bold but risky.
The number was given to him to boost the confidence of the player emerging from "La Masia." Fati had a bright start in the 2019/20 season, but in the following years, he could not show strong performances due to injuries.
In the summer of 2025, he officially moved to Monaco. From 2019 to 2025, he played 123 matches and scored 29 goals.
Real Madrid also experienced complicated periods related to the number ten, similar to Barcelona. For example, Brazilian Robinho joined the team in 2005 with hopes of becoming a star.
However, his career in Madrid was not stable. After playing 137 matches and scoring 35 goals over four years, he was sold to Manchester City in 2008.
Thus, the number ten in football history is not just a number but a symbol that defines great players and their destinies. For each club, this number holds unique significance, and players who possess it regard it with great attention and responsibility.
