Dark Horse Emerges to Battle Kylian Mbappe for Real Madrid's Coveted Number 10 Jersey

While Kylian Mbappé was widely anticipated to claim Real Madrid's No. 10 jersey, the French star now faces unexpected rivalry from Arda Güler for the coveted number.

Following Luka Modrić's heartfelt departure from Real Madrid this summer, the Croatian legend's famous shirt number became open for the first time in nearly a decade. Unlike Toni Kroos, who personally passed his No. 8 to Fede Valverde before leaving, Modrić departed for AC Milan without designating his heir.

The responsibility now falls on the club to assign the No. 10 jersey to a deserving player before the 2025–26 campaign begins. Earlier speculation suggested Mbappé was the clear favorite to inherit this prestigious number, given his history of wearing No. 10 at Monaco and his current use of it with the French national squad.

Mbappé's standing within the organization also strengthens his claim. Despite arriving at Real Madrid just last summer, the 26-year-old forward has already secured his place in club folklore through an outstanding inaugural season.

However, Güler has now entered the conversation as a serious contender. Reports from MARCA suggest the midfielder is eager to don the legendary number, particularly following Modrić's gesture of gifting him his jersey after his final match for Los Blancos.

Awarding the No. 10 to Güler would provide the Turkish international with the recognition he has been seeking. It would also establish him as a cornerstone of Xabi Alonso's future strategy, representing a significant milestone in the promising youngster's development.

Güler's candidacy gains support from the jersey's recent tradition. Over the past decade and a half, Real Madrid's No. 10 has been donned by Modrić, James Rodriguez, and Mesut Özil. The 20-year-old could become the fourth successive midfielder to sport this iconic number.

Naturally, there remains a small chance the jersey could stay unassigned for the upcoming season, similar to the period following Özil's exit. Real Madrid famously had no No. 10 when they captured La Décima in 2014.

However, with two strong candidates in contention, the No. 10 jersey will probably find its new bearer within the next few weeks.