Following an unforgettable season that has resulted in a domestic treble and a deep run in the Champions League, Barcelona are set to offer Lamine Yamal a new and much-improved contract this summer.
However, not only will the club improve the terms of his current deal, but they are also set to hand down one of the greatest privileges the club has to offer, the number 10 jersey.
Lionel Messi is the most iconic owner of that illustrious shirt number, but many greats came before him, and here, Sports Mole looks back at Barcelona's seven greatest number 10s.
7: Gheorghe Hagi (1994-96)
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The greatest Romanian footballer of all time, Hagi is in a unique club where he is loved by both fans of Real Madrid and Barcelona, after playing for both.
No squad number was attached to Hagi during his spell in Catalonia, but he frequently wore the number 10 shirt during his two-year spell at the club, and his goal against Celta Vigo in December 1994 remains one of the greatest in the club's history.
Hagi's time at Barca was slightly frustrating though, with injuries getting in the way, and close shaves in cup competitions denying him any major honours, especially in the UEFA Cup and the Copa del Rey.
6: Luis Suarez (1955-1961)
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Before the modern-day Uruguayan with the same name arrived at Camp Nou, Barca had another majestic player who went by the same name in the late-1950s.
Suarez may not have seen eye-to-eye with managers, team mates and board members during his six-year spell at Barcelona, but he certainly left his mark on the pitch, winning La Liga twice, the Copa del Generalisimo (now Rey) twice, and the Fairs Cup on another two occasions, while also coming runner-up in the European Cup.
With 141 goals across 253 appearances, it is no surprise Suarez won the Ballon d'Or during his spell with Barca, and he eventually left for a world-record fee to join Inter Milan in 1961.
5: Hristo Stoichkov & Romario (1993-94 / 1994-95)
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Back when squad numbers were more often assigned due to positions on the pitch as opposed to an actual player, Barca's deadly duo in the early-90s interchanged wearing the famous number 10.
Stoichkov did so more towards his later years in Catalonia, and he remains a club legend, having won four La Liga titles and the European Cup under the guise of Johan Cruyff, while also forming a prolific partnership with Romario in 1993.
With the two up front, Barca were dominant in La Liga during the 1993-94, and even though they were beaten in the Champions League final by AC Milan that season, that did not detract from a hugely impressive campaign, and the Bulgarian was awarded the Ballon d'Or later that year.
4: Rivaldo (2000-02)
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Another player who already garnered legend status before taking over the number 10 at Barca was Rivaldo, who was handed the honour in his fourth season following the departure of Jari Litmanen.
Rivaldo had already helped Barca to back-to-back titles in 1998 and 1999, winning the Ballon d'Or in the latter of those two years, and even though the club dropped off slightly at the start of the 21st century, his performances did not.
A hat trick by the Brazilian on the final day of the 2000-01 season, often dubbed as one of the greatest of all time, saw Barca beat Valencia 3-2 to ensure Champions League qualification against the odds, and Rivaldo certainly had his best days at the Nou Camp, as he left for Milan after winning the World Cup in 2002, but never hit the same heights.
3: Diego Maradona (1982-84)
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One of the greatest players of all time started his European journey at Barcelona, when Maradona moved to Spain in 1982 from Boca Juniors.
Maradona's crowning moment at Barca came in the first leg of the Copa del Rey final away to Real Madrid in 1983, when his majestic solo goal earned him a standing ovation from the Bernabeu, but the Argentine genius was often targeted and dealt with brutally by opposition defenders, which affected his time in La Liga.
The Copa del Rey final against Athletic Bilbao the following year is what brought a premature end to his Barca career, when reacting to taunts from the opposition, Maradona snapped, and a mass, violent brawl ensued, with the club then deciding to move him on, but that should not detract from the two phenomenal years he had at the club, before signing for Napoli.
2: Ronaldinho (2003-08)
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If it was not for the superhuman genius who came onto the scene after Ronaldinho's illustrious five-year spell at Barcelona, the Brazilian would probably remain the club's most famous player.
One of the most iconic players in history, Ronaldinho was famed for his trickery and astonishing talent on the ball, but he was also effective, picking up a Champions League winners medal and a Ballon d'Or during his time as Barca's number 10, and like Maradona, he is the only other Barca player to receive a standing ovation from the Bernabeu, after his otherworldly performance in 2005.
It is safe to say Ronaldinho was the driving force behind the Barcelona team that laid the groundwork for the dominant side that Pep Guardiola moulded in the late-00s and early-2010s, and he left Messi with huge shoes to fill.
1: Lionel Messi (2008-21)
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But those shoes were filled, and then some, as Messi took over as Barca's number 10 and went on to become the greatest player in football history.
What else can be said about the Barcelona and Argentina legend, who won everything there was to win and more, taking home the Ballon d'Or on eight separate occasions (seven at Barca), four Champions League trophies, a further 24 domestic honours, as well as six European Golden Shoes.
Scoring 672 goals for Barcelona means Messi will surely never be caught by any other player who pulls on the famous blue and red jersey, and he will forever remain the face of a club that dominated football for a decade, as his legacy will live on far beyond any current living generation.
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Andrew Delaney
