“I still remember that moment like it was yesterday—the day I called little Leo Messi to congratulate him on being handed the number 10 shirt at Barcelona. It was a number I had worn with pride, a number that carried history, pressure, and magic. I expected him to be excited or maybe even nervous. But instead, he said something so simple, yet so profound: ‘Ronnie, I don’t want to be the next Ronaldinho. I just want to be Messi.’”
He didn’t say it to be arrogant or rebellious—it was pure humility, the kind that hides behind greatness. He wasn’t trying to follow in anyone’s footsteps. He was already determined to carve out his own path, to write his own story. And what a story he wrote.
When Messi took over that iconic number, there was no fanfare from him. No ego. No performance. Just quiet responsibility. He told me, ‘The number is just that—a number. What matters most is what I bring to the team. How I help us win. How I make my teammates better.’ That was his mindset. Not about living up to my legacy, but about giving his all in his own way.
And now, as the number 10 prepares to pass into the hands of a new prodigy—Lamine Yamal—I want to share that same wisdom. My advice to him is simple but powerful: Don’t try to be Messi. Don’t try to be me. Don’t try to be anyone else but Lamine.
Yes, the number 10 is legendary. Yes, it was worn by heroes. But legends are not made by copying—they’re made by being authentic, fearless, and original. Messi never tried to imitate me, and because of that, the world doesn’t call him ‘Ronaldinho’s successor.’ They call him Lionel Messi—the greatest of his era, maybe of all time. Because he trusted in his own gift, his own vision.
So, to Lamine, I say: Wear the number with pride, but don’t let it define you. Fill it with your own spirit, your own magic. Be bold enough to be yourself. If you do that, one day, people won’t compare you to anyone. They’ll say, ‘That’s Lamine Yamal—the one who made the number 10 shine in a way we’ve never seen before.’
“Play with your heart. Let your instincts guide you. And just like it did for Leo and for me, the number 10 will one day be proud to have been worn by you.”
