Big news from Spain’s World Cup squad: Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal will not wear La Roja’s famous No. 10 at the 2026 World Cup. Instead, Yamal will keep the No. 19 shirt he’s used for Spain, while his Barcelona team‑mate Dani Olmo gets the legendary No. 10
Spain were the first nation to publish squad numbers for the 26‑man group. The initial list caused a stir online after a surprise omission of Real Madrid players. Coach Luis de la Fuente still picked plenty of stars — Premier League names like David Raya (Arsenal), Marc Cucurella (Chelsea) and Rodri (Man City) — plus eight Barcelona players. De la Fuente even called Spain favourites, alongside two other nations, as they chase a first World Cup since 2008.
Yamal inherited Messi’s No. 10 at Barcelona after his breakthrough, but Sportbible says he’ll wear No. 19 at the World Cup. The No. 10 shirt is rich in history for Spain — Raul Gonzalez, Fernando Torres and Cesc Fabregas have all worn it. Reports say Yamal chose to stay with 19.
Other numbers: Gavi has No. 9; Nico Williams and Mikel Oyarzabal take 17 and 21. Defenders Aymeric Laporte and Pau Cubarsi wear 14 and 22.
Dani Olmo explained the thinking to Mundo Deportivo: “There are no problems behind closed doors; there’s no fuss about wearing the No. 10. It’s just rumours going around outside. It’s a number I’ve worn before, the one we won the Euros with. It’s a number I like, so why change it when everything is going well.”
Yamal should recover from last season’s injury in time for Spain’s June 15 opener against Cape Verde. And yes — Angel Di Maria has already tipped France, Spain and Portugal as the teams to watch for semi‑final spots.
