Cole Palmer Reveals the Two Stars Who Inspired His Bold Chelsea Jersey Number Switch

Cole Palmer has disclosed the two footballers who motivated him to adopt the No. 10 jersey at Chelsea, including eight-time Ballon d'Or champion Lionel Messi.

The England star initially wore the No. 20 when he joined Stamford Bridge but has now switched to the No. 10 for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup and upcoming Premier League campaign. This number was previously worn by Mykhailo Mudryk, who remains at Chelsea but is currently facing an extended ban following doping allegations.

Notable former wearers of Chelsea's iconic No. 10 include Eden Hazard, Juan Mata, and Joe Cole, with Palmer aspiring to match their achievements in this prestigious shirt. Nevertheless, none of these legends influenced his decision to choose this particular number.

When questioned about which renowned No. 10 players influenced him during his youth, Palmer responded: "Messi was the main one, along with [Wayne] Rooney and similar players. It's simply a legendary number. I've worn No. 10 throughout my entire youth career and I'm drawn to this number."

Palmer was also questioned about taking the number from teammate Mudryk but acknowledged he hasn't yet discussed the matter with the Ukrainian player.

"I haven't had a conversation with Misha yet, but I will when the moment is appropriate," the 23-year-old explained. "It's not really my responsibility to get involved with his situation right now. I will have that discussion with him."

Palmer couldn't quite replicate the extraordinary statistics from his inaugural season in west London during 2024-25, though he concluded the campaign with better form following a challenging period around the new year.

The creative midfielder hopes to recapture his 2023-24 level of performance throughout the remaining Club World Cup matches and into the new Premier League season beginning in August.