LAMINE YAMAL will reportedly inherit Lionel Messi’s iconic No 10 shirt at Barcelona after signing a generational deal this summer.
The 17-year-old has emerged as a Ballon d’Or front-runner and is widely viewed as the game’s biggest talent since Messi burst onto the scene almost 20 years ago.
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Yamal was considered the heir to eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi when he came the youngest player to start a Euros final with Spain.
And Yamal, who has already provided 25 goals and 34 assists in 105 appearances for Barca, will celebrate his 18th birthday in July by signing a new long-term contract.
According to Memorabilia1899.co, the Catalan club will include a €1billion (£841million) release clause in the once in a lifetime deal.
Yamal, who still wears braces, will also be handed the iconic No 10 shirt, which is worn by Ansu Fati at the moment.
Fati was termed as the original heir to Messi, but injuries and a lack of form has left him facing an exit this summer.
Yamal currently holds the No. 19 jersey, which was also the number worn by fellow former La Masia product Messi before he switched in 2008.
The changeover will mark another historic moment in Yamal’s young career, after he made his Barca debut two years ago when he was only 15.
Since then, he has won LaLiga twice and provided 43 goal contributions in 54 games for Barca’s domestic treble this season.
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The stats show Yamal’s trajectory since his debut aged 15 years and 290 days is rising faster than that of either Messi or the other superstar of his generation, Cristiano Ronaldo.
By 17, Messi had scored once in nine senior games for Barca, while Ronaldo had netted five goals in 19 games for Sporting.
Yamal also has four goals in his 19 appearances for Spain. Neither Messi or Ronaldo made their international debut until they turned 18.
It took Messi, who made his debut at 16, until shortly before his 21st birthday to hit the 100-game mark in Barcelona colours, scoring 41 goals in the process.
Before bagging an incredible screamer in Barca’s 3-3 Champions League draw on his 100th appearance, Yamal said: “I don’t compare myself to anyone, and much less with Messi.
“So I don’t think the comparison makes sense, with Messi even less, I’m going to enjoy myself and be myself.”
Remarkably, there are pictures of baby Yamal being held by a 20-year-old Messi during a photoshoot for Barcelona and Unicef in 2007.
Seven years later, that baby was training with the club. By the age of 12, Spanish publication Marca was already comparing him to Messi.
The Argentine icon finished his Barcelona career in 2021 with a staggering 672 goals in 778 appearances, plus 10 LaLiga titles and four Champions League triumphs to his name.
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