Forward has worn No 10 for France for several years and was keen to take on the same number at club level
Kylian Mbappe will wear the No 10 shirt for Real Madrid this season, taking over the number left vacant by Luka Modric after the Croatian midfielder left the club earlier this summer.
Mbappe wore the No 9 last season during his debut campaign at the Bernabeu. He made his change of number public on Wednesday by posting “10” on his social media accounts. Real Madrid later confirmed the switch.
Mbappe had been expected to change numbers once Modric’s exit was finalised. He has worn No 10 for France for several years and was keen to take on the same number at club level.
Club sources say that Mbappe’s switch to the number will not only reflect a bigger status in the team but also have huge commercial impact.
Other players who have worn the shirt at the club include James Rodriguez, Mesut Ozil, Wesley Sneijder and Luis Figo.
In his first season with Madrid, Mbappe scored 44 goals in all competitions to finish as the club’s highest scorer and win the Pichichi Trophy.
Modric joined the club in 2012 but took on the No 10 shirt in 2017 after James Rodriguez left the club. Modric himself leaves after 13 seasons, during which he won six league titles and five Champions League trophies. His success at the club has added further weight to the shirt.
