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Barcelona legend Rivaldo has claimed that Blaugrana prodigy Lamine Yamal will wear the iconic number 10 shirt at the club next season. Multiple legends have previously worn the Barca number 10 shirt, including Lionel Messi, Ronaldinho, Romario, Diego Maradona, Hristo Stoichkov, and Rivaldo himself.
Lamine Yamal rose from the ranks of Barcelona's youth academy, La Masia, and made his senior team debut in a LaLiga game in April 2023 at 15. The youngster was quick to earn praise from legends and fans alike for his exceptional ball control and dribbling skills.
The Spaniard is often compared to Barcelona legends, including Lionel Messi, and is a regular starter under Hansi Flick at the young age of 17. He has contributed 10 goals and 16 assists in 29 appearances for the Catalans across competitions this season.
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In an interview with SPORT (h/t Barca Universal), Blaugrana legend Rivaldo claimed that Lamine Yamal will wear the iconic number 10 shirt at the club next season. Ansu Fati currently wears the shirt as he inherited it after Messi's departure in 2021. Rivaldo said:
"He plays as if he is 25 years old, with a lot of experience, he plays easily. It has already been said that next season he will wear the No. 10 shirt. With the personality he has, he will surely soon be a candidate for the best player in Europe and the world. He is a player I admire, I like his style of play.”
Rivaldo further praised the 17-year-old, adding:
"He is a jewel of Barcelona, a boy who deserves all the good he is achieving for the person he is. You can tell that he is humble, he has not let fame or money go to his head, and I really admire the players who have that kind of attitude."
Rivaldo played for Barca between 1997 and 2002, sporting the number 10 shirt in his last two seasons at the club. He contributed 130 goals and 45 assists in 235 appearances across competitions.
"I’m not a fan of that" - Barcelona coach Hansi Flick addresses Lamine Yamal's comparisons to Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona
In the post-match press conference after Barcelona's 1-0 win over Deportivo Alaves in LaLiga, Hansi Flick addressed Lamine Yamal being compared to the likes of Messi and Maradona. He said (via beIN SPORTS):
"I’m not a fan of that. Lamine is a genius. What he did today in some plays is unbelievable. I’m very happy that he plays for Barça. For his age, he’s doing great in every match. It’s not easy, because the opponents are strong, defend well, and attack him aggressively, but he keeps shining. I love it."
In Barcelona's latest LaLiga win, Lamine Yamal broke a longstanding record previously held by Lionel Messi. He completed 11 out of 21 attempted dribbles in a game. He broke Messi's record of completing 10 out of 20 attempted dribbles in a LaLiga game against Mallorca in the 2005-06 season.
