Should Barcelona retire their No. 10 Jersey when Messi hangs up his boots?
Lionel Messi, with his exploits, has reached unconquerable heights in world football and along with him, has dragged the shirt he dons at Barcelona to a legendary level. The Barcelona No. 10, the shirt that epitomises magic, is perhaps the most valuable shirt in the planet right now. It instills fear into the hearts of opponent defenders like few other shirt numbers can and it is the king of all shirt numbers in the football world right now.
Recently, the shirt number was in discussion as Ronaldinho, who handed over the responsibilities of the legendary number to Messi, recently suggested that Barcelona should retire the No. 10 when Messi hangs up his boots. It was a beautiful display of the love that the Brazilian legend has for Leo. They had, after all, worked in tandem before Ronaldinho left for AC Milan in 2008. It was only after his departure that Messi had been handed over the famous number.
There have been a lot of famous names who have worn the legendary No. 10 jersey at Barcelona. Diego Maradona wore the jersey for two seasons a long way back in 1982, but unfortunately was not too successful at the club.
The Brazilian World Cup winner Romario played for two seasons from 1993 and was fantastic for Barcelona. The fans were spellbound after his famous El Classico hattrick that stunned Real Madrid.
Then there was Rivaldo, who spent five stunning seasons at the Nou Camp from. He started with the No. 11 from the 1997/98 season, but wore the No. 10 for two seasons from the 2000/01 season. Riquelme wore the No. 10 at Barcelona briefly after Rivaldo left.
In 2003, Ronaldinho joined Barcelona and picked up the No. 10 and lifted the mood at Nou Camp immediately. He won them the La Liga title and then 3 years later the Champions League Title. He was perhaps the greatest ever to don the No. 10 jersey, until Messi picked up on his trails and never looked back.
When Lionel Messi won the Spanish Super Cup by defeating Sevilla at the start of this season, it was his 33rd Trophy for the club. The greatest player in the world is also the greatest player ever to play for Barcelona and certainly their greatest No. 10.
Retiring the jersey after Messi retires will perhaps be a great honour to the little magician, but should Barcelona do that?
Ronaldinho was a great player himself and Barcelona could have decided to retire the No. 10 after the legendary Brazilian. Yet, while riding on Messi's back, the No. 10 has soared even higher, perhaps higher than any jersey has been allowed to fly consistently for a decade. That is perhaps the beauty of football - the beautiful game never fails to entertain. Only because Barcelona allowed the No. 10 to continue after Ronaldinho did it gain the legendary status it enjoys now. Even though it looks impossible, change is the only constant in the world. It is the only way forward. Only by ushering in the future can the present truly be successful.
Messi will be a tough act to follow, perhaps an impossible name and number to live up to. But like Ronaldinho nurtured and guided young Leo into the player he is now, it would perhaps be wise of Barcelona to allow Messi to usher in the new generation when he retires. Like Messi after Ronaldinho, the world will deserve to wait, in anticipation, for the next superstar after Messi.
Every time the Barcelona No. 10 appears on the pitch, Messi will be remembered and honoured. It will ensure that he is talked about every day, every match, because it is only what he will deserve. Only if the Barcelona No. 10 continues to run riot in the football fields in the near future can Messi's legacy be truly respected.
But for now, let us enjoy the maestro in action. Let us breathe in his body feints, his twists and turns, his unreal goals and selfless assists. Let us melt in his lovely smile and watch the No. 10 glow in his back, ever so shiny, ever so bright. The Barcelona No. 10 jersey has even higher skies to fly into yet and the world is still watching, in anticipation, adulation and in awe.