Lamine Yamal will follow in the footsteps of Lionel Messi and wear the No 19 shirt for Barcelona next season.
The 17-year-old, who progressed through the club’s youth academy before his making senior debut at the age of 15 in April 2023. Despite his age, the Spain international has become a key player for club and country.
Yamal had been wearing the No 27, but now will wear the No 19 that was made famous by Messi who donned the number between 2005 and 2008. Sergio Aguero had also previously worn the shirt, as did Patrick Kluivert during the 1998-99 season.
It had been speculated that Yamal might take Messi’s former No 10 shirt at Barcelona, which was left vacant last season when Ansu Fati joined Brighton & Hove Albion on a season-long loan. Fati is due to return to Barcelona following his spell in England, where he started only three Premier League games.
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Vitor Roque, who joined Barcelona from Athletico Paranaense in January, wore the No 19 shirt during the 2023-24 season, and the Brazilian’s future at the Spanish club remains undecided.
The Athletic previously reported that Barcelona were planning to send the 19-year-old out on loan. Sources from the coaching staff and the board of directors say the ideal scenario would be for him to get regular minutes at another top-flight Spanish side to help him get to know the language and the style of football.
Yamal, meanwhile, has scored seven goals and provided ten assists in 51 appearances for Barcelona.
The teenager has made 14 appearances for Spain, seven of those coming at the European Championship where his long-range goal against France in the semi-final helped his side progress to the final of the competition for the first time since 2012, and won the award for goal of the tournament. He also provided an assist in the final against England as Spain won 2-1.
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Perfection, by Lamine Yamal
(Eric Alonso/Getty Images)
