FC Barcelona is currently navigating one of its most significant transition seasons in recent memory, marked by the conspicuous absence of the iconic number 10 jersey for the first time since 1995.
This season poses a unique challenge for the Catalan club, not only because they are playing away from their cherished home stadium, the Nou Camp, which is undergoing renovations, but also due to the absence of a designated number 10 in the squad.
The number 10 jersey, once graced by the legendary Lionel Messi, is with Ansu Fati. However, due to a combination of injury setbacks and inconsistent form in recent seasons, Fati found himself struggling for playing time.
Consequently, the Barcelona board made the decision to loan him to Brighton, in the hopes that he would regain his confidence and secure regular game time.
🚨🇪🇸 For the first time since 1995, Barcelona will not make the number 10 shirt available.
Despite not being an official explanation from the club, many are commenting that Barcelona doesn’t want to put pressure on players as it happened with Ansu Fati, and therefore, no one… pic.twitter.com/RQrpWWJxFu
— VAR Tático (@vartatico) September 5, 2023
With the closure of the transfer window in Spain, several new signings, including Ilkay Gundogan and João Félix, have already chosen their jersey numbers, donning the numbers 22 and 14, respectively. Meanwhile, established squad members like Robert Lewandowski, Pedri, and Gavi have opted to retain their previous jersey numbers from past seasons.
All these developments have left the illustrious number 10 unclaimed for the entirety of this season unless Ansu Fati makes a return to the club during the January transfer window.
Players that have worn the legendary number 10 at FC Barcelona since 1995
In the 1995-96 season, Ángel Cuéllar became the first player to sport the number 10 for FC Barcelona in La Liga. His arrival marked a significant moment, coinciding with the league’s standardization of player numbers.
Unfortunately, Cuéllar’s debut season was marred by injuries, sidelining him for approximately six months. Despite scoring two goals in 15 appearances, he surrendered the number 10 in the following 1996-97 season.
Following Cuéllar, Giovanni Silva de Oliveira, known as Giovanni, took up the mantle from 1996 to 1999. As one of Bobby Robson’s early signings, Giovanni provided unforgettable moments for fans, including three match-winning performances against Real Madrid.
In the 1999-00 season, Jari Litmanen briefly held the number 10, but his time at Barcelona was hampered by a series of injuries.
Brazilian maestro Rivaldo succeeded Litmanen, wearing the iconic number from 2000 to 2002, having previously worn number 11. During this period, Rivaldo enjoyed his most prolific season individually. He scored 36 goals, including a breathtaking hat-trick against Valencia that secured Barcelona’s Champions League qualification.
I didn’t think I would ever see Barcelona’s number 10 going on loan to Brighton in my lifetime… https://t.co/tofS42XhKf
— 🫵🏽 (@idoxvi) August 30, 2023
In the 2002-03 season, Juan Riquelme donned the number 10. He struggled to find consistency during his sole season at the Nou Camp. He was deemed surplus to requirements following Ronaldinho’s arrival.
The Brazilian sensation Ronaldinho took over the number 10 jersey for five seasons from 2003 to 2008. His mesmerizing performances left an indelible mark on the club, with 94 goals and 70 assists in 207 appearances.
Following Ronaldinho’s era, Lionel Messi embarked on a 13-year journey with the number 10. From 2008 to 2021, Messi achieved everything with Barcelona possible at the club level. In the wake of Messi’s departure, Ansu Fati was entrusted with the number 10 jersey at just 20 years old in 2021.