These days, growing your personal brand is more than encouraged — it’s expected. Whether you’re popping out to get milk or drilling molars as a dentist, there’s an audience for it. In American college sport, it’s formalised as NIL — name, image and likeness. In football, there’s no clearer symbol of a personal brand than the coveted No 10 shirt.

Over the summer, several rising stars made a point of switching to the iconic number at their clubs. Cole Palmer did it at Chelsea, Jamal Musiala at Bayern Munich, and with Luka Modric departing Real Madrid, the shirt could soon be inherited by Kylian Mbappe. In Barcelona, Lamine Yamal is tipped to take it now Ansu Fati is on loan at Monaco.

According to Daniel Sandison, head of marketing at boot manufacturer Sokito, personal branding is becoming essential in the modern game. “It probably gets 10 to 15 per cent more important every year,” he told The Athletic.

Sandison points to Palmer’s signature shiver celebration — something the Chelsea midfielder tried to trademark — as a prime example. “Most top players want a YouTube channel like Jude Bellingham, and a number that reflects their personality.”

The link between shirt numbers and commercial success is obvious. Cristiano Ronaldo’s CR7 is as much a logo as a squad number. That branding extends to merchandise, advertising, and sponsorship. Sandison explains, *“It creates wealth, jobs, and opens up football to communities that were previously locked out.”

Wearing the No 10 is more than a savvy commercial move — it’s a footballing statement. Matheus Cunha, now donning the No 10 at Manchester United, put it plainly: “Wow, it’s something that you always dream about.”

He cited Wayne Rooney, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and Ruud van Nistelrooy among the past legends of the shirt. For Cunha, it’s not just about legacy — it’s about ambition: “It’s the dream not only to wear the shirt but to add to its history.”

The No 10 gained mystique in South America, thanks to icons like Pele and Diego Maradona. In Europe, its prestige was enhanced by the likes of Ferenc Puskas and Zinedine Zidane. Traditionally, the No 10 was the creative fulcrum — the player behind the striker pulling all the strings.

That classical role has evolved. Nations like Spain, which favoured playmakers in other shirts (like Xavi’s No 6 or Iniesta’s No 8), or Germany, where No 10s often played deeper, didn’t always follow the same convention. But globally, the number remains synonymous with flair and creativity.

Today’s No 10s don’t always operate in the traditional mould. The rise of false nines, inverted wingers, and deep-lying playmakers has changed the tactical picture. But according to The Athletic’s Michael Cox, that hasn’t diluted the number’s meaning — it’s broadened the pool of candidates worthy of wearing it.

Passing the No 10 down is often symbolic. Ronaldinho to Messi at Barcelona. But it can also be a burden. Ansu Fati, handed Messi’s old shirt in 2021, struggled to meet expectations before being loaned to Monaco.

“As a player, it’s like saying: ‘I’m the guy. Everything runs through me,’” says Sandison. *“It’s mimicking Maradona, Messi… you want to be that creator and goal scorer.”

If Yamal does succeed Fati as Barcelona’s No 10, few would argue he’s earned it. He starred in La Liga last season with 13 assists and followed that with a breakout role for Spain at Euro 2024.

Yamal tends to avoid Messi comparisons, but they’re inevitable. “What Messi did to reinvent that creator-goalscorer role is exactly what kids want to replicate today,” says Sandison. “It’s just like basketball in the ’90s — everyone wanted to be like Michael Jordan, wear his shoes, his number. That’s what the No 10 is now in football.”

So whether it’s for branding, legacy or pure footballing responsibility, the No 10 remains football’s most loaded shirt. Your favourite player’s favourite player probably wore it — and the next great one probably wants it.