Ansu Fati reflects on wearing the Lionel Messi famous number 10 shirt, after the departure of the Argentine legend.
Ansu Fati has been Barcelona’s crowning achievement ever since he first appeared on the scene.
The La Masia product is without a doubt one of the most talented young players in international football, and those inside the club believe he is destined to succeed.
So much so that, once the club veteran left for Paris Saint-Germain in 2021, the 19-year-old was given the legendary number 10 shirt of none other than Lionel Messi.
The adolescent phenom revealed his joy at being invited to wear the illustrious number on the back of his shirt for the Blaugrana in an interview with Futbol Emotion, as reported by SPORT.
Regarding the #10 jersey: “For me, it’s a privilege to don it, and I want to thank Barça for allowing me the chance to do so. The club has a long history with this particular number. It encourages me to work hard and advance every day and year.
“It caught me off surprise a bit, but in the end, with the help of my teammates, and my family, I managed it fairly well,” the player said of making his or her debut so soon.
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“My first few months with the first team were difficult and a major adjustment for me, but the veterans and teammates really helped me out.”
Regarding La Masia: “La Masia was amazing upon arrival. The level and amenities they had I feel fortunate to have had the chance to visit La Masia.
Regarding music, I enjoy listening to a variety of genres. Afro and reggae hits. I’m a big fan of Ozuna, Drake.
Because of my African ancestry and because I enjoy the rhythm and delivery of his songs, Drake is a big influence on me.
There is no disputing that Fati is the club’s closest contender for the one and only Messi’s rightful successor, but injuries have slowed the wonderkid’s development.
The Spanish international missed a staggering 35 games in all competitions just last season as a result of various injuries.
Due to a muscle laceration issue, the slick winger was forced to miss up to 47 games overall during the 2020–2021 season as well.
On the plus side, though, Ansu Fati is gradually returning to fitness throughout the course of the season and has already tallied one goal and two assists in La Liga.
Although the generational talent has the potential to live up to the illustrious number, it will take continuous playing time for him to reach the heights everyone is expecting him to.
