The march of Leo Messi of FC Barcelona towards Paris, more specifically to PSG, it’s official. The Argentine star leaves the Blaugrana club after more than twenty years at home, seventeen since he made his debut with the first team back in 2004 against Espanyol. In those seventeen years as a gamer of the first team, Leo Messi dressed three numbers on the back: the 30 in his debut, the 19 for two years and the magic 10, inherited from Ronaldinho after his departure, which he has carried for twelve years.
The wish of many culés and many football lovers would be that FC Barcelona will withdraw the 10 in his honor, as happened in basketball with 23 after Jordan’s retirement with the Bulls or both numbers removed by the Lakers after the death of Kobe and the Napoli with own 10 after the death of Maradona. But nevertheless, The league has the last decision and does not allow this type of action. The highest body of the first national division has already dealt with the issue on several occasions, especially in recent years. Sometimes, for reasons of mourning as was the case of the Seville and the Spanish after the deaths of Antonio Puerta Y Dani jarque, respectively. In others, for the recognition of a career of achievements, which would be in this case with La Pulga, after the goodbye of Raul Gonzalez del Madrid and the attempt to remove the number 7.
LaLiga in these cases is clear, the competition prevents removing numbers since in Spain professional numbers go from 1 to 25 for the first team and from 26 to 50 for homegrown players, not like in other countries like Italy or England where squads can wear numbers from 1 to 99. If Barcelona wanted to remove the number, then LaLiga would ask him to the Barcelona club that reduce its squad to 24 professional players, thus losing a professional record. For this reason, many teams give up their intention to withdraw numbers, not wanting to let go of the possibility of having one more cash in their ranks. The question now is: Who will dare to wear 10 in Barcelona?