Latest news with #JamalMusiala
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Why do so many footballers covet the No 10 shirt?
This article is part of our Kitted Out series, an exploration of the impact of soccer apparel on culture and fashion. These days, everybody is encouraged to grow their personal brand. Popping out to get some milk? Corner shops go viral now. Want to see the day in the life of a dentist? No problem. In American college sports (NCAA), they call it (NIL). Advertisement When it comes to branding in football, the No 10 shirt is becoming a sought-after key to prominence. Or, for some, a way to imitate the greatest player to have ever played. This has been evident this summer, with some of the game's youngest stars changing to their clubs' No 10 jersey. Cole Palmer and Jamal Musiala have both switched already, while the Real Madrid No 10 will be vacated by Luka Modric's imminent departure to Italian side Milan, which could see Kylian Mbappe follow suit at the Bernabeu. At Barcelona, Lamine Yamal could take the shirt after Ansu Fati left on loan to Monaco. Daniel Sandison, head of marketing at football boot manufacturer Sokito, tells : 'Personal branding is more important than ever. It probably gets 10 to 15 per cent more important every year. 'Most of the players at the top level want to have a YouTube channel like (Real Madrid and England midfielder Jude) Bellingham, want to have a number that reflects their personalities.' Advertisement Sandison points out Palmer's shivering goal celebration as another example, with the Chelsea forward seeking to trademark it with the UK Intellectual Property Office in January, according to legal firm Knights plc. Cristiano Ronaldo (CR7) has his shirt number heavily tied into his brand. Sandison continues: 'All of the people around footballers encourage personal branding because it creates wealth, it creates jobs for people and it allows communities to tap into football that maybe were locked out previously, so it's massively important.' Being your team's No 10 clearly means something in branding terms, but football-wise it is even more important. New Manchester United signing Matheus Cunha told club media what the shirt meant to him. 'Wow, it's something that you always dream about,' he said of becoming United's No 10 earlier this summer. Advertisement 'Of course I think the one that I always think about when I see this number in this shirt for me was Wayne Rooney… then I swapped shirts with Marcus (Rashford, who was the club's No 10 until the end of last season) … but of course, we know many players used this shirt — Ruud van Nistelrooy, Zlatan Ibrahimovic… 'It's the dream not only to use the shirt but with all the history they have around the number. It's something beautiful that I have the privilege to do it.' Cunha is Brazilian, and the No 10 began to gain mystique there in South America way before social media came along, after being worn by legends such as Pele and Diego Maradona. European greats Ferenc Puskas and Zinedine Zidane have helped build its prestige too. The classic archetype has been less prominent in Spain, a nation more inclined towards No 4s, 6s and 8s (see Xavi and Andres Iniesta), Portugal, proficient in producing star wingers, and Germany, where teams used to deploy No 10s in the sweeper role. Classic No 10s usually played behind the striker in an attacking midfield role, as a team's most creative player. Advertisement As 's Michael Cox wrote a few years ago, while they may have faded from the modern game, the increased prominence of false nines, wide players who can drift inside and deep-lying playmakers means that, rather than there being no players who can reasonably wear No 10, there are actually more candidates than ever. It is a shirt that has often represented the passing of the torch, like at Barcelona when the number was handed down from Ronaldinho to Lionel Messi. Receiving the shirt can build high expectations and create disappointment, though, such as Ansu Fati's succession of Messi. Fati was hailed to be Barcelona's next big prospect when given the No 10 in the 2021-22 season, but went on to have a largely underwhelming career with the club and was recently farmed out on loan to Monaco of France's top-flight Ligue 1. 'I think as a player, it's kind of affixing yourself to that playmaker role: 'I'm the guy, everything's going to come through me. I'm going to create. The same way Maradona and Messi did',' says Sandison, who works closely with Sokito athletes and investors, including Nottingham Forest's Ola Aina and USMNT player DeAndre Yedlin. Yamal succeeding Fati as Barca No 10 would make sense as, despite being a winger, he has already proved himself worthy of the shirt after winning the European Championship with Spain a year ago and his second Spanish title last season at 17. He was Barcelona's chief creator in that La Liga league campaign (13 assists) and also for Spain at Euro 2024 (four). Advertisement Yamal tries to avoid Messi comparisons, but the now Inter Miami forward has a wide-reaching legacy in the sport and has left his mark on the No 10 shirt. 'I think it's (No 10) just seen as the most important player, because the best player in the world has worn it for such a long time,' Sandison says. 'What he (Messi) did to reinvent that goal scorer/creator role is what these players want to be. They want lots of the ball. They want stuff to come through them. 'Using a basketball reference, the kids were doing everything to 'Be like Mike (Michael Jordan)' in the '90s, they were wearing his shoes, they wanted his number (23). It's mimicking Messi, they're like, 'I want to be like that guy' and what better way to do that than wear his number?'. If not Messi, then one of the host of other legends who have had the No 10 shirt. Advertisement Your favourite player's favourite player is likely to have worn it, and so the cycle continues. Kitted Out is part of a partnership with VW Tiguan. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication. This article originally appeared in The Athletic. Chelsea, Manchester United, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Brazil, Argentina, Premier League, Champions League, Soccer, International Football, La Liga, Bundesliga, Sports Business, Women's Soccer, Culture, Men's World Cup, Memorabilia & Collectibles, FIFA Club World Cup, Kitted Out 2025 The Athletic Media Company
New York Times
3 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
Why do so many footballers covet the No 10 shirt?
This article is part of our Kitted Out series, an exploration of the impact of soccer apparel on culture and fashion. These days, everybody is encouraged to grow their personal brand. Popping out to get some milk? Corner shops go viral now. Want to see the day in the life of a dentist? No problem. In American college sports (NCAA), they call it name, image and likeness (NIL). When it comes to branding in football, the No 10 shirt is becoming a sought-after key to prominence. Or, for some, a way to imitate the greatest player to have ever played. Advertisement This has been evident this summer, with some of the game's youngest stars changing to their clubs' No 10 jersey. Cole Palmer and Jamal Musiala have both switched already, while the Real Madrid No 10 will be vacated by Luka Modric's imminent departure to Italian side Milan, which could see Kylian Mbappe follow suit at the Bernabeu. At Barcelona, Lamine Yamal could take the shirt after Ansu Fati left on loan to Monaco. Daniel Sandison, head of marketing at football boot manufacturer Sokito, tells The Athletic: 'Personal branding is more important than ever. It probably gets 10 to 15 per cent more important every year. 'Most of the players at the top level want to have a YouTube channel like (Real Madrid and England midfielder Jude) Bellingham, want to have a number that reflects their personalities.' Sandison points out Palmer's shivering goal celebration as another example, with the Chelsea forward seeking to trademark it with the UK Intellectual Property Office in January, according to legal firm Knights plc. Cristiano Ronaldo (CR7) has his shirt number heavily tied into his brand. Sandison continues: 'All of the people around footballers encourage personal branding because it creates wealth, it creates jobs for people and it allows communities to tap into football that maybe were locked out previously, so it's massively important.' Being your team's No 10 clearly means something in branding terms, but football-wise it is even more important. New Manchester United signing Matheus Cunha told club media what the shirt meant to him. 'Wow, it's something that you always dream about,' he said of becoming United's No 10 earlier this summer. 'Of course I think the one that I always think about when I see this number in this shirt for me was Wayne Rooney… then I swapped shirts with Marcus (Rashford, who was the club's No 10 until the end of last season) … but of course, we know many players used this shirt — Ruud van Nistelrooy, Zlatan Ibrahimovic… 'It's the dream not only to use the shirt but with all the history they have around the number. It's something beautiful that I have the privilege to do it.' Cunha is Brazilian, and the No 10 began to gain mystique there in South America way before social media came along, after being worn by legends such as Pele and Diego Maradona. European greats Ferenc Puskas and Zinedine Zidane have helped build its prestige too. The classic archetype has been less prominent in Spain, a nation more inclined towards No 4s, 6s and 8s (see Xavi and Andres Iniesta), Portugal, proficient in producing star wingers, and Germany, where teams used to deploy No 10s in the sweeper role. Advertisement Classic No 10s usually played behind the striker in an attacking midfield role, as a team's most creative player. As The Athletic's Michael Cox wrote a few years ago, while they may have faded from the modern game, the increased prominence of false nines, wide players who can drift inside and deep-lying playmakers means that, rather than there being no players who can reasonably wear No 10, there are actually more candidates than ever. It is a shirt that has often represented the passing of the torch, like at Barcelona when the number was handed down from Ronaldinho to Lionel Messi. Receiving the shirt can build high expectations and create disappointment, though, such as Ansu Fati's succession of Messi. Fati was hailed to be Barcelona's next big prospect when given the No 10 in the 2021-22 season, but went on to have a largely underwhelming career with the club and was recently farmed out on loan to Monaco of France's top-flight Ligue 1. 'I think as a player, it's kind of affixing yourself to that playmaker role: 'I'm the guy, everything's going to come through me. I'm going to create. The same way Maradona and Messi did',' says Sandison, who works closely with Sokito athletes and investors, including Nottingham Forest's Ola Aina and USMNT player DeAndre Yedlin. Yamal succeeding Fati as Barca No 10 would make sense as, despite being a winger, he has already proved himself worthy of the shirt after winning the European Championship with Spain a year ago and his second Spanish title last season at 17. He was Barcelona's chief creator in that La Liga league campaign (13 assists) and also for Spain at Euro 2024 (four). Yamal tries to avoid Messi comparisons, but the now Inter Miami forward has a wide-reaching legacy in the sport and has left his mark on the No 10 shirt. 'I think it's (No 10) just seen as the most important player, because the best player in the world has worn it for such a long time,' Sandison says. 'What he (Messi) did to reinvent that goal scorer/creator role is what these players want to be. They want lots of the ball. They want stuff to come through them. 'Using a basketball reference, the kids were doing everything to 'Be like Mike (Michael Jordan)' in the '90s, they were wearing his shoes, they wanted his number (23). It's mimicking Messi, they're like, 'I want to be like that guy' and what better way to do that than wear his number?'. If not Messi, then one of the host of other legends who have had the No 10 shirt. Advertisement Your favourite player's favourite player is likely to have worn it, and so the cycle continues. Kitted Out is part of a partnership with VW Tiguan. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
☕️🥐FC Breakfast: EA FC 26 cover leaked, new FIFA rankings revealed
🟣 Euro 2025 Women's, the recap' Thursday's results 9:00 PM: Finland 1-1 Switzerland 9:00 PM: Norway 4-3 Iceland Today's schedule 9:00 PM: Portugal - Belgium 9:00 PM: Italy - Spain FIFA Ranking: the latest update 📊 On Thursday, FIFA updated the ranking of national men's teams. Status quo in the top 5: the French team remains stuck in third place on the podium. Morocco remains the first African nation, just ahead of Senegal. Big leak on the EA FC 26 cover 🎮 Insider FUT Scoreboard, one of the most reliable independent sources on EA SPORTS FC news, announces that Jamal Musiala and Jude Bellingham will be the cover stars of FC 26. Confirmation on July 16? This is a good excuse to look back at the history of FIFA/EA FC covers. Wayne Rooney was a fixture between 2008 (FIFA 09) and 2011 (FIFA 12). OM's big announcement on X 🍿 Olympique de Marseille will relive the ups and downs of its 2024-25 season through a six-episode documentary series. A trailer that sets the tone! The must-haves of the day 🔍 - The big announcements on the Ligue 1 channel Advertisement - Ligue 1+ channel, how much it costs French football - Club World Cup: the team of the semifinals, with 6 PSG players 📸 Photo credit: @Yacouz_ This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
📸 First leak emerges: these stars set to feature on the EAFC26 cover
📸 First leak emerges: these stars set to feature on the EAFC26 cover EA Sports has apparently decided to go back to featuring a duo on the cover after a few years with only one star. According to a leak from "Fut Scoreboard", exceptional talent Jamal Musiala and Jude Bellingham, who was also on the cover last year, will be featured on the cover of the new EA FC26. The official confirmation is expected to follow on July 16th. We're excited! Advertisement This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
PSG 2-0 Bayern Munich: Ousmane Dembele sends nine-man Parisians into Club World Cup semi-finals
Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue inspired nine-man Paris Saint-Germain to a 2-0 win over Bayern Munich, sending the Parisians into the Club World Cup semi-finals. An end-to-end first half in which both sides threatened to land the first blow, particularly on the break, was marred by what looked to be a serious injury to Bayern star Jamal Musiala. Advertisement The young German appeared to twist his ankle in a collision with PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma at the end of stoppage time in the opening period, with a stretcher brought out as players on the pitch reacted with visible distress. Musiala was subsequently replaced at the interval, the second of two enforced early changes for Vincent Kompany after Josip Stanisic was withdrawn with a knock. Momentum swung back the way of the Parisians to start the second half, but Bayern soon worked their way back into a game that began to liven up as it neared its end still locked in a stalemate. Two yellow cards were eventually shown to the Germans, including one to Kompany for dissent, before PSG winger Doue was cautioned for simulation. Advertisement But moments later, the young Frenchman found himself with the ball on the edge of the box and rifled home the opener, driving a low shot past Manuel Neuer and into the bottom right corner. Mere minutes had gone by when the otherwise impressive William Pacho was given his marching orders for a reckless challenge on Bayern substitute Leon Goretzka, a straight red which threatened to derail PSG's charge to reach the final four. Bayern, who had won all four of their most recent meetings against today's opponents without conceding a goal, piled on the pressure and thought they had pulled level shortly after, as Harry Kane's header bounced in off the post. But it was rightly ruled out for offside - the second time the Bundesliga giants were denied by VAR on a frustrating afternoon, after Dayot Upamecano saw an earlier effort chalked off for the same offence. Advertisement Six minutes of stoppage time were initially prescribed, yet after just one of those PSG were reduced to nine men as Lucas Hernandez was dismissed for elbowing Raphael Guerreiro shortly after coming on as a substitute. The German side kept knocking on the door, but were eventually buried by another blistering PSG fast break. Bayern star Jamal Musiala had to be stretchered off with an ankle injury at the end of the first half (Getty Images) Dembele clattered a chance off the crossbar from the initial attack, but the ball was won back by the Parisians and returned to him by Achraf Hakimi after the Moroccan full-back wiggles through several red-clad defenders. Hitting his second attempt without the need for a first touch, PSG's Ballon d'Or candidate doubled his side's lead to send Bayern - who saw an even later penalty shout for a high boot given and then overturned - packing and his crew into the semi-finals, where they will face the winner of Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund. Advertisement "We are ready for any team,' came the response from a defiant Doue after full time, when asked about his team's potential next opponents. With Luis Enrique's young treble-winners now just two matches away from hoisting their fourth trophy of the 2024-25 season, one might imagine he is right.
