Kylian Mbappé will be the new number 10 for Real Madrid. The news, recently confirmed by Ramón Álvarez de Mon and other specialized media outlets, has sparked a lot of discussion, not only because of what it means within the white club, but also because of what it represents in the context of world soccer.
The most curious thing is that this choice coincides, almost symbolically, with the assignment of the number 10 to Lamine Yamal at FC Barcelona. Coincidence or provocation? Ramón Álvarez de Mon, one of the best-informed journalists in the Madridist environment, reported days ago that Mbappé would wear the "10" in his new stage as a Real Madrid player.
Even though many thought he would keep number 7, which has also been iconic in his career—and which Cristiano Ronaldo wore at the white club—the Frenchman will ultimately opt for a number full of history at Santiago Bernabéu: the 10 of Luis Figo, James Rodríguez, and, in his day, even Ferenc Puskás.
What does Lamine Yamal have to do with it?
The timing of the coincidence has raised more than one eyebrow. Just as FC Barcelona confirms that their young gem, Lamine Yamal, will wear the number 10 starting this season, replacing the legendary Leo Messi, Real Madrid announces that their new star will wear exactly the same number.
Some sectors of the culé environment are already talking about "copying" or even a "complex." According to this view, Real Madrid has reacted to Barça's power move with a move that tries to overshadow it. For many blaugrana fans, seeing Lamine wear the 10 means the natural succession of Messi, the symbol of a new cycle.
The comparison between both players is more symbolic than football-related. Mbappé, at 26 years old, has already been a world champion, top scorer in Ligue 1 in multiple seasons, a figure for France, and an established star. Lamine, at just 17 years old, is a brilliant prospect, but is still in development.
The intrigue of el clásico… now with two number tens
The 2025-26 season promises more tension than ever. On one side, Real Madrid will present their brand-new number 10, Mbappé, as the great standard-bearer of their top-tier project. On the other, Barça will place all their hopes in Lamine Yamal, the jewel of La Masia, who at just 17 years old will wear the jersey that Leo Messi once wore.
There will be clásicos with a double dose of symbolism. Mbappé vs. Lamine. The white number 10 against the blaugrana number 10. Two ways of understanding soccer, two ages, two styles, two narratives. But above all, two clubs that never miss a chance to mark their territory.
What may seem at first glance like a mere choice of number becomes yet another chapter in the eternal rivalry between Barça and Madrid. While each club makes their internal decisions independently, the truth is that modern soccer also lives off gestures, perceptions, and symbols.