Mbappe Takes Over Legendary Jersey Number at Real Madrid in Historic Squad Shake-Up
Kylian Mbappé has been officially designated as the new bearer of Real Madrid's prestigious No. 10 jersey, taking over the legendary shirt from Luka Modrić.
Following Modrić's exit from the Spanish capital in recent weeks, considerable discussion arose regarding the club's newly available number 10 jersey. Arda Güler and Jude Bellingham emerged as leading candidates to potentially claim this distinguished honor, however, ultimately there was only one player destined to inherit the number.
Real Madrid awarded the jersey to Mbappé in preparation for the 2025–26 campaign. The organization announced this decision through their official website, where the French star is now registered as the new No. 10 on the squad roster.
Given the tradition of exceptional midfielders who have donned this number at Real Madrid, the club's choice to bestow Mbappé with the shirt comes as little shock. The 26-year-old has established himself as the franchise's leading figure following an extraordinary inaugural season that saw him capture both the Pichichi Trophy and the European Golden Boot.
Mbappé began his Real Madrid journey sporting the number nine jersey, marking him as the first player to claim that shirt since his compatriot Karim Benzema. This number proved fortunate for the former Paris Saint-Germain star; Mbappé netted 44 goals in all competitions, setting a record for most goals by any player during their first season in the white jersey.
However, the striker had to accept the No. 9 during his initial campaign. Mbappé was unable to secure the No. 7 he sported at PSG since it remains with Vinícius Júnior, and he couldn't claim the No. 10 from Modrić despite wearing it for France.
Moving ahead, Mbappé will wear identical numbers for both club and national team. The France captain now faces the challenge of living up to not only Modrić's legacy, but also matching the standards set by Ferenc Puskás, Luís Figo, Clarence Seedorf and Mesut Özil.