Kylian Mbappé didn't wait to start his second season with Real Madrid to make his mark. After wearing number 9, formerly Karim Benzema's, during his first season in Madrid, the French team captain will now take on a new legacy: the number 10 vacated by Luka Modrić , a living legend of the club. A symbolic transfer that has long divided opinion on social media. This change of number goes beyond a simple aesthetic choice. Indeed, Real Madrid is sending a clear message: by giving the number 10 to Mbappé, the club is appointing its new guardian of the game, its new boss on the pitch. One can imagine that this is also a response to the other big name in Spanish football, FC Barcelona, which recently assigned Léo Messi's number 10 to the young Lamine Yamal. Two stars, two rival clubs, two legendary numbers. The duel is therefore on for the 2025-2026 season.
Legendary numbers have always crystallized the history of clubs and the emotions of fans. At Real Madrid, Cristiano Ronaldo's 7, Ronaldo Nazário's 9, and Zinedine Zidane's 5 are so historic that they must be honored. But not everyone manages to follow in the footsteps of the giants: Mariano Díaz, for example, never assumed the 7 left by CR7. Despite a season full of expectations (2018-2019), he would only score four goals and make only four starts, the prestige of the number turned into a burden for him. He had nevertheless declared: "It was free, it's a number that I like and it's a personal objective. I'm happy to wear this number that has been worn by many stars." Conversely, Vinícius Jr, a fervent admirer of Cristiano Ronaldo , later made this same number a symbol of his own rise. In two seasons, he established himself as one of the best wingers in the world, becoming a key player in the Casa Blanca. The same goes for the number 9: after Ronaldo Nazário, Soldado failed there (0 goals in 2007-2008). But years later, Kylian Mbappé shone individually with this same flocking, scoring 44 goals in all competitions in his first season in Madrid.
When the weight of the number weighs too much
This phenomenon extends beyond Spain. At Barcelona, the number 10 left by Messi weighed heavily on Ansu Fati's shoulders. The young prodigy, presented as his natural successor, never lived up to expectations. Hampered by injuries, he eventually moved away from the first team and finally signed with AS Monaco a few weeks ago. Now, 18-year-old Lamine Yamal has taken over Ronaldinho's old number. At Manchester United, the number 7 embodies the club's history. From George Best to Cantona, or from Beckham to CR7, it has become a true legend. But since the Portuguese's departure, many have tried to reclaim it without convincing anyone. Alexis Sanchez, Memphis Depay, Mason Mount: brief spells, tarnished by the gap between expectations and reality. It is in these kinds of cases that the weight of history can crush. And yet, some succeed. Like Harry Kane at Bayern Munich, who successfully took over Robert Lewandowski's number 9: the league's top scorer (26 goals), he helped the Bavarian club lift another Bundesliga title this season. Another shining example is Jude Bellingham, who dared to reclaim his idol Zidane's number 5. A powerful gesture that resulted in an exceptional season in which he finished third in the 2024 Ballon d'Or behind Rodri and Vinicius, won the Champions League, and now occupies a key position in Real Madrid's midfield.
Inheriting an iconic number is therefore far from trivial. There are injuries, like those of Ansu Fati or Eden Hazard, which have prevented talent from expressing itself. There is the pressure, too great for some, like David Alaba, who took over Sergio Ramos' number 4 at Real Madrid, or Arthur Melo, Iniesta's number 8 at Barça, never really living up to their illustrious predecessors. And there are the marketing choices, sometimes too forced, which lack soul and end up discrediting the symbolism of the number on the back. Conversely, when the connection is sincere, driven by the desire to prolong a story or write a new one, the number can enhance a career. As with Marcus Rashford at FC Barcelona or Victor Gyökeres at Arsenal, who will wear the legendary number 14 in homage to Thierry Henry, Arsenal and Barça legend.
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