Kylian Mbappé did not wait to start his second season with Real Madrid to make an impression. After carrying the number 9, formerly that of Karim Benzema, during his first season under the Madrid colors, the captain of the French team will now take on a new heritage: the number 10 left vacant by Luka Modrić, living legend of the club. A symbolic transmission which has long divided on social networks. This change of number exceeds the simple aesthetic choice. Indeed, Real Madrid sends a clear message: by giving the 10th to Mbappé, the club designates its new game custodian, its new boss on the field. One can imagine that it is also a response to the other large house in Spanish football, FC Barcelona which recently attributed the number 10 of Léo Messi to the young Lamine Yamal. Two stars, two rival clubs, two legendary numbers. The duel is therefore launched for exercise 2025-2026.
The mythical numbers have always crystallize the history of clubs and the emotions of supporters. At Real Madrid, Cristiano's 7, Ronaldo Nazário's 9, or Zinedine Zidane's 5 are so historic that they must be honored. But not everyone manages to walk 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 will only score four small goals and will only be established four times, the prestige of the number turned into a burden for him. However, he said: “It was free, this is a number that I like and it is a personal objective. I am happy to wear this number which has been worn by many stars. »» Conversely, Vinícius Jr, a fervent admirer of Cristiano Ronaldo, then made this same number one symbol of his own ascent. In two seasons, he asserted himself as one of the best wingers in the world, becoming a strong man in Casa Blanca. Same observation on the number 9 side: after Ronaldo Nazário, soldo broken his teeth (0 but in 2007-2008). But years later, Kylian Mbappé, shone individually with this same flocking, scoring 44 goals all competitions for his first season in Madrid.
When the weight of the number weighs too heavy
This phenomenon goes beyond Spanish borders. In Barcelona, the 10 left by Messi weighed heavy on the shoulders of Ansu Fati. The young prodigy, presented as his natural successor, has never been able to confirm expectations. Rightdown by injuries, he ended up moving away from the first team and finally set out with AS Monaco a few weeks ago. From now on, it is Lamine Yamal, 18, who recovers the former issue of Ronaldinho. In Manchester United, number 7 alone embodies the history of the club. From George Best to Cantona, or from Beckham to CR7, he has become a real myth. But since the departure of the Portuguese, many have tried to take it back without convincing. Alexis Sanchez, Memphis Depay, Mason Mount: lightning passages, tarnished by the gap between expectations and reality. It is therefore in this kind of case that the weight of history can crush. And yet some succeed. Like Harry Kane at Bayern Munich who successfully resumed Robert Lewandowski's number 9: top scorer in the championship (26 goals), he allowed the Bavarian club to raise a new Bundesliga this season. Another brilliant example, Jude Bellingham, who dared to recover the 5 of Zidane, his idol. A strong gesture, which resulted in an exceptional season where he finished third in the Ballon d'Or 2024 behind Rodri and Vinicius, he won the Champions League, and he now occupies an essential place in the world of Real.
Inheriting an emblematic number is therefore far from trivial. There are injuries, as for Ansu Fati or Eden Hazard, who prevented the talent from expressing expressions. There is the pressure, too strong for some, like David Alaba, who recovered the 4 of Sergio Ramos at Real Madrid, or Arthur Melo on Iniesta at Barça, never really up to their illustrious predecessors. And there are the marketing choices, sometimes too forced, which lack souls and end up discrediting the symbolism of the number in the back. Conversely, when the link is sincere, carried by the desire to extend a story or write a new one, the number can sublimate a career. As with Marcus Rashford at FC Barcelona or Victor Gyökeres in Arsenal, who will wear the legendary number 14 in tribute to Thierry Henry, Arsenal and Barça legend.
