The 18-year-old is the latest in a long line of elite athletes to don one of football’s most recognisable shirts.
It’s official: Lamine Yamal is Barcelona’s new number 10, inheriting the iconic shirt having penned a new, incredibly lucrative contract with the Catalan powerhouse. It’s a shirt with a complex history, but plenty of its owners have claimed the Ballon d’Or down the years, and Yamal will want to be next.
As he follows in the footsteps of some greats of the game, the winger has vowed to forge his own path, saying: “I’m under no pressure; I’ll continue enjoying myself with a different number. I’m grateful for the club’s trust and I’ll try to continue that legacy.” However, the plight of previous incumbent Ansu Fati – another La Masia ‘wonderkid’ who has endured a sharp fall from grace – should serve as a warning as Yamal prepares to shoulder the weight of expectation at Camp Nou.
