There have been plenty of iconic No. 10’s in soccer history — and all-time great superstar Lionel Messi is certainly up there with the best of them.
So when his new number with Paris Saint-Germain F.C. was released on Tuesday, the soccer world wasn’t quite sure what to make of it.
The six-time Ballon d’Or winner will wear No. 30 for his new squad.
While the No. 10 may feel synonymous to Messi’s legacy, his new jersey number decision doesn’t come without reason. When the star striker made his Barcelona debut as a 16-year-old in 2003, he donned the No. 30 jersey. As he became more of a consistent performer on the team he later transitioned to No. 19.
He finally inherited the No. 10 jersey in 2008 after the departure of his former Barcelona teammate Ronaldinho.
Usually reserved for a team’s top playmaker, the No. 10 jersey carries quite a bit of weight in the soccer world. Neymar, who currently holds the No. 10 shirt for PSG, offered to let his former teammate reclaim his iconic number — but Messi refused.
The soccer world took to Twitter on Tuesday to react to this monumental change.
A new 💎 in Paris!
PSGxMESSI ❤️💙 pic.twitter.com/scrp1su9a6
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) August 10, 2021
❤️ #PSGxMESSI 💙
🛒 https://t.co/gbAxUj8yNo pic.twitter.com/6TsVp8YLip
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) August 10, 2021
First look at Messi in the No. 30 PSG jersey 👀🇫🇷
(via @Paris_Arabic)pic.twitter.com/phE7IpvSLe
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) August 10, 2021
Lionel Messi will go back to his first Barcelona number, No. 30, at PSG ❤️ pic.twitter.com/4GiTWQ4oUE
— B/R Football (@brfootball) August 10, 2021
Lionel Messi has arrived at the Parc Des Princes 😍
#30 is going to take some getting used to pic.twitter.com/wB1JiKWKjC
— International Champions Cup (@IntChampionsCup) August 10, 2021
Messi turned down Neymar’s offer to continue to wear jersey No. 10, and instead will wear No. 30 at PSG.
Messi wore No. 30 in his Barcelona debut ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/QseowMWEoV
— Sporting News (@sportingnews) August 10, 2021
After his shocking departure from Barcelona, the only club he’s ever played with through his 17-year professional career, Messi signed a two-year deal with PSG earlier this week.
“This is the most difficult moment of my career,” Messi said in an emotional press conference. “I have been through tough moments, defeats, but the next day you go back to training and you have another chance to avenge yourself. That isn’t going to happen here, it’s the end. Now another story will begin.
“… Last year I wanted to leave, but this year I didn’t. I was always completely up front about everything and I have to leave the club I love.”
The post Soccer World Reacts To Lionel Messi’s New Number appeared first on The Spun.
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