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The iconic #10 jersey at Barcelona has been worn by many a fine player to have graced the game over the years.
The jersey number is predominantly worn by a team's playmaker, who usually happens to be the best player in the team. Unsurprisingly, that also holds true for an iconic club like Barcelona - the most successful team (in terms of titles) in Europe's top five leagues.
The topic has gained traction since club legend Lionel Messi exited Barcelona this summer. He scored a plethora of goals and won multiple titles while wearing the #10 jersey. Considering Messi's stellar contributions to the club, it was thought the Blaugrana would retire his jersey.
But owing to La Liga rules, that would have meant Barcelona registering one fewer player on their roster. Eventually, the Blaugrana did not tread that route, and instead announced Ansu Fati as their newest #10.
Fati, 18, is one of the most exciting graduates, after Messi, to have come out of Barcelona's renowned La Masia academy, and is tipped for great things. On that note, here's a look five of the best Barcelona players to have worn the iconic #10 jersey:
#5 Hristo Stoichkov
Hristo Stoichkov was one of the most prolific scorers, especially during the 90s. The Bulgarian spent most of his club career at Barcelona, whom he joined in the summer of 1990.
Stoichkov was an integral component of Johan Cryuff's dream team that had the likes of Romario, Pep Guardiola, Ronald Koeman and Michael Laudrup, among others. The now 55-year-old, who only briefly wore the #10 at Barcelona, won a rich haul of titles that included five La Liga honours and the European Cup.
During a hugely successful eight-season stint at the club, Stoichkov scored 118 goals and provided 17 assists in over 250 games across competitions. The Bulgarian was primarily a winger, but was adept across many positions across the attacking third.
It was during his Barcelona stint that Stoichkov won the Golden Boot at the 1994 FIFA World Cup. He also won the Ballon d'Or award that year.
Stoichkov later spoke about how a great performance against Barcelona led him to join the club, where he would reap enormous success:
"My arrival at FC Barcelona really began a year or so earlier. In April 1989, my club at the time, CSKA Sofia, met Barça in the semi final of the European Cup Winners Cup."
"I was lucky enough to score three goals in the tie - two at Camp Nou and one in Bulgaria - even though Barça made it through to the final in Berne, Switzerland. Surely enough, those three goals would have a great impact on my subsequent career as a footballer."
#4 Diego Maradona
Diego Maradona is widely regarded as one of the best players to have graced the game.
The diminutive Argentinian, who arrived at Barcelona in the summer of 1982, had a short but fairly successful stint at the club. Maradona scored 33 times and assisted 18 in his two-season stay at Barcelona, where he won the Spanish Cup in his first season and the Spanish Super Cup in the next.
Maradona became infamous for getting embroiled in an ugly 'free-for-all' fight with Athletic Bilbao in the 1983-84 Copa Del Rey final in front of the Spanish king. He was suspended for his role in the mass fracas. Maradona never served the suspension, though, as he left Barcelona for Napoli that summer.
Nevertheless, after his demise late last year, Barcelona paid a rich tribute to one of the most famous players to have graced their #10 jersey.
After leaving Camp Nou, Maradona went on to win the 1986 FIFA World Cup with Argentina and two league titles with Napoli before his off-the-field antics derailed his career.
#3 Laszlo Kubala
Laszlo Kubala is arguably the first Barcelona superstar. He put the club on the footballing map with his goalscoring exploits to endear himself to the Blaugrana faithful.
Kubala arrived in Barcelona in the summer of 1950. He began to enthrall the club faithful with his free-kick prowess, creativity and vision to conjure plays for teammates. The late Hungarian remains the last player to score seven goals in a La Liga game.
The son of Hungarian immigrants, he was one of Barcelona's first regular #10s. The four-time La Liga and five-time Copa Del Rey winner was Barcelona's top scorer for close to six decades before he was surpassed by Lionel Messi in 2012.
#2 Ronaldinho
Ronaldinho is one of Barcelona's most famous #10s since the turn of the century. The smiling Brazilian, who scored over 100 goals for the Blaugrana, mesmerised fans and opponents alike with his ability on the ball.
The 2002 FIFA World Cup winner won a rare standing ovation at the home of Barcelona's arch-rivals Real Madrid, in one of the great all-time El Clasico performances by a player. He scored two goals of exquisite beauty on that memorable night, helping Barcelona to a 3-0 win.
The Brazilian's arrival at Camp Nou in the summer of 2003, together with coach Frank Rijkaard, sparked a period of unprecedented success for Barcelona after a few middling years.
Ronaldinho, who wore the Barcelona #10 jersey for all five seasons he was at the club, ended the Blaugrana's six-year La Liga title drought. He helped them successfully defend the title the next season, and also led them to Champions League glory. For his exploits that year, Ronaldinho won the Ballon d'Or award.
It was Ronaldinho who mentored a certain Lionel Messi in his early years at the club, before injuries and poor form saw the Brazilian leave the club.
#1 Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi is arguably the best player to have ever stepped foot onto a football field.
During an illustrious 17-year stint at the club, Messi has scored goals and won laurels - both team and individual. The 6-time Ballon d'Or winner scored a staggering 672 goals for the club, twice more than the next-most prolific scorer in the club's history.
The ten-time La Liga winner also won two continental trebles and eight Pichichi awards while at Barcelona. Apart from his goals, Messi also provided 305 assists during his stay at the club.
Messi weaved magic on the Camp Nou turf with his magical left foot, weaving his way through the tightest of defences in his prime. In his later years, the 34-year-old dropped deep and excelled as a playmaker too.
Now at PSG, the 34-year-old will hope to make similar exploits before he bids adieu from the game.
