Lamine Yamal opts to forge his own path after being handed Barca’s No. 10 shirt

Lamine Yamal's long-awaited moment arrived this Wednesday: inheriting Barcelona's No.10 shirt. The Catalan club announced the Rocafonda jewel's change of number on the same day that he signed the contract that will keep him at the 'Cules' until 30 June 2031.

Dressed in a brown suit and accompanied by his family, the beacon of Barcelona's hopes arrived at the offices with an innocent smile. The footballer, who only recently turned 18, already carries the weight of his team's future on his shoulders.

Alongside Joan Laporta, Lamine Yamal completed the contractual formalities and posed for the Barcelona media with his new number. He takes the No.10 shirt after Ansu Fati's departure to Monaco and intends to keep it for at least the next six seasons.

"Messi made his path, I'm going to make mine"

The weight of the number carries an intangible significance in Barcelona's history, but the player himself was keen to play it down: "Messi made his path, I'm going to make mine. The No.10 comes from Ansu now. I'm grateful for the club's confidence and I'll try to continue the legacy."

"Criticism and praise, unless it comes from my family or people very close to me, is irrelevant to me. Otherwise, one day I'll be very high and another very low. This is a big step and it's the beginning of a path that I hope will be very long and full of victories," he continued in his interview with the club.

"Win the Champions League and the World Cup"

Looking ahead to the 2025-26 season, he is clear about his priorities: "I haven't won the Champions League, so I want to win the Champions League and the World Cup. The manager has told me that there's a double session tomorrow, he's congratulated me. I have to be grateful. I don't feel any pressure, I'll continue to enjoy myself with another shirt number."

"In the end, I work for Barcelona and I play for Barcelona, but when I'm away from the training ground I enjoy my life and that's it," he replied regarding the off-field noise of recent days. Lamine Yamal is now ready to leave his own legacy at the remodelled Spotify Camp Nou.