Lamine Yamal has exploded onto the scene this season and is already not only one of Barcelona’s best players but perhaps the club’s biggest hope for the future and one of the continent’s most exciting young prospects at just 16 years old.
Yamal is already a full Spanish international and figures to play a crucial role in Barça’s success in the final two months of the season as the Blaugrana look for a miracle run in the Champions League and a strong finish in La Liga.
Because of his position, his skills and his style of play Lamine has already drawn comparisons to Barça legend and history’s greatest footballer, Lionel Messi, and many are calling for Yamal to inherit Messi’s mythical number 10 shirt if and when Ansu Fati, the current owner of the shirt, eventually departs the club.
Yamal was asked about wearing No. 10 in the club’s return to the renewed Camp Nou and becoming the symbol of a new era for the club, and the teenager seems pretty comfortable with the idea.
“Number 10 belongs to Ansu right now, but if he doesn’t stay here I would be proud to wear it. It’s every kid’s dream to be Barça’s number 10. Nobody in the world would say no, but that’s something that the club should decide.”
Source: Mundo Deportivo
Lamine’s maturity at his age continues to be astounding, and he is right in saying that the club should decide on who the next number 10 should be. And at least for now, that number should NOT go to Yamal. The pressure and expectations on the kid are already gigantic; giving him Messi’s number when he’s already viewed as the Next Messi would be overwhelming.
Yamal deserves the chance to develop like any other kid and go through the natural ups and downs afforded to a youngster at the highest level. There are other worthy candidates for the number 10 shirt in the current squad (Ilkay Gündogan comes to mind), and Lamine should only get it when the time is right.
