Lamine Yamal makes unofficial debut wearing Barcelona’s No. 10: How did Lionel Messi’s debut compare?
Lamine Yamal has officially inherited the iconic No. 10 shirt at FC Barcelona following a breakout 2024–25 campaign that established him as one of the world’s most exciting young players. The now 18-year-old made his first—albeit unofficial—appearance in the famous jersey. But how did his debut performance compare to that of Barcelona legend Lionel Messi?
Barcelona kicked off their preseason tour of Asia and the Pacific in Japan, where they trained ahead of their opening friendly against Vissel Kobe. The match, held at Noevir Stadium, gave local fans a chance to witness Hansi Flick’s new-look Barca in action.
The German manager fielded a strong starting XI, featuring Pau Cubarsi, Alejandro Balde, Pedri, Raphinha, and of course, Lamine Yamal. Vissel Kobe, well-organized and disciplined, kept their shape defensively despite Barcelona dominating possession (78%) in the opening 45 minutes.
Yamal and Barca both started brightly, particularly in the first 30 minutes. The new No. 10 stayed true to his trademark style—direct, creative, and fearless on the ball. He was Barcelona’s most threatening player, frequently testing defenders with his dribbling and shooting. Against a compact low block, he managed three shots (two blocked, one wide) and completed 3 of 9 attempted dribbles.
Matched up against Katsuya Nagato, Yamal was fouled only once. The first half ended 1–1 after Eric Garcia opened the scoring from a corner in the 33rd minute, only for Taisei Miyashiro to equalize in the 43rd with a low cross from the left. Flick changed the entire lineup for the second half, ending Yamal’s unofficial debut in a game Barcelona eventually won 3–1.
How did Messi’s presentation go?
Interestingly, Lionel Messi’s unofficial debut in the No. 10 jersey came almost exactly 17 years earlier. In Pep Guardiola’s first season as head coach, Messi inherited the shirt from close friend Ronaldinho and made his preseason debut on July 24, 2008.
That summer, Barca traveled to Edinburgh to face Scottish side Hibernian in a friendly that quickly turned into a one-sided affair. Messi started on the right wing, with Guardiola emphasizing his chemistry with new right back Dani Alves, as well as offensive partners Pedro Rodriguez and Thierry Henry.
Eidur Gudjohnsen opened the scoring in the 5th minute, and just nine minutes later, Messi added his name to the scoresheet with a trademark move—cutting inside, dropping a defender, and curling the ball into the far post. Gudjohnsen struck again in the 17th minute, and Messi soon turned provider, setting up Pedro on the left for a thunderous finish that made it 4–0 by the 28th minute.
Like Flick, Guardiola made wholesale changes in the second half, including Messi in the decision. Bojan Krkic and Yaya Toure got in the pitch, scoring in the 49th and in the 68th respectively to seal a 6–0 win. Messi’s debut in the No. 10 shirt featured both a goal and an assist—offering a glimpse of the greatness that would follow as he became the most iconic player to ever wear the number. Until now, perhaps.