Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal wants Lionel Messi’s old No.10 shirt as youngster claims ‘nobody in this world would say no’ to great honour

The 16-year-old forward, who has broken a number of records since making his senior breakthrough, is treading a similar path to eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi. He has stepped out of the same La Masia academy system and is being tipped to reach the very top of the game.

Yamal currently fills the No.27 jersey in Catalunya, but has told Mundo Deportivo of inheriting an iconic squad number from Ansu Fati – who is currently on loan at Premier League side Brighton: “As you said, Ansu is the number 10 but if in the end he is not still here, it would be a source of pride. It would be a dream for any child to be Barcelona’s number 10. Nobody in this world would say no, but it’s something that the club has to manage.”

Yamal is already following Messi’s lead when it comes to diet at Barcelona, with the teenager being advised to put more fish on the menu – an approach that previously served Messi well. He added: “I’ve gained about four kilos in weight and two centimetres in height in 2024. I’m at 1.81m now. Before, I used to go with my friends and eat whatever I wanted. Now, I follow the club’s advice. And I drink lots of water. I try to eat more fish because before it is more meat.”

Yamal has taken in 40 appearances for Barca across all competitions this season, registering six goals, and is also up to six senior caps for Spain as he targets a place in their squad for this summer’s European Championship.