Real Madrid has officially bestowed the prestigious number 10 jersey on Kylian Mbappe for the upcoming 2025/26 season.
The switch was confirmed on July 29, following the departure of Luka Modric, who had worn the number since the 2017/18 season and left the club in May after thirteen illustrious years in white.
A Club Legend
Modric arrived from Tottenham Hotspur in 2012 and quickly cemented himself as one of the finest midfielders in the club’s history.
Across 597 appearances, he lifted 28 trophies, including six European Cups, six Club World Cups, five European Super Cups, four Spanish leagues, two Copas del Rey and five Spanish Super Cups.
His 2018 Ballon d’Or win – breaking the decade-long Messi-Ronaldo duopoly – was a defining moment in his career and a reflection of his elegance, leadership, and big-game pedigree.
Even in his twilight years, the Croatian continued to deliver in high-pressure moments, his composure and tactical intelligence setting the standard for Madrid’s midfield.
Kylian Mbappe’s Record-Breaking First Season
Mbappe, 26, previously wore the number nine following his arrival from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2024 on a five-year deal.
Despite the personal success, Real Madrid fell short of major honours that season, their output overshadowed by Mbappe’s eye-catching individual statistics.
In 59 appearances across all competitions, he delivered a remarkable 44 goals – 31 in LaLiga, seven in the Champions League, and another six spread across Copa del Rey, the European Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup, a tally that set a club record for goals in a debut season.
A Shirt Worn by Legends
The number 10 shirt carries immense symbolic weight at the Bernabeu. Mbappe steps into a lineage that includes legends such as Ferenc Puskas, Clarence Seedorf, Luis Figo, Mesut Ozil, James Rodriguez and of course Luka Modric himself.
It also signifies leadership, flair and a central creative role – attributes Mbappe has already embraced on the international stage wearing 10 for France.
Modric offered a subtle seal of approval, reacting with a flame emoji under Mbappe’s post announcing the switch – an understated gesture signalling his support for the handover of the shirt he carried with such distinction.
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Eyes on the No. 9
Meanwhile, speculation has intensified around who will now inherit the vacant number nine jersey.
Promising talents Endrick and academy standout Gonzalo Garcia are seen as leading contenders, with Endrick reportedly rejecting loan offers and determined to claim a central role, while Gonzalo has impressed recently in the Club World Cup and with Castilla.
As Xabi Alonso prepares to lead Real Madrid into a new era as head coach, Mbappe now wears the number that defines eras, responsibilities and expectations.
The iconic jersey change marks both an end and a beginning: the closing chapter of Modric’s era and the dawn of Mbappe’s full embrace of Los Blancos’ creative mantle.
Main Photo
Credit: IMAGO / Nicolo Campo
Recording Date: 09.07.2025