Spain Have a New Number 10 - Pedri

Barcelona’s rising star Pedri has been given the number 10 for Spain in their upcoming friendlies against Albania and Iceland. It will be the first time that the youngster will wear the iconic 10 shirt.

Pedri - Spain's New Number 10

Pedri is rightly considered one of the best young players in world football right now, with his form for Barcelona grabbing attention even during their difficult early stages of the season. He will be hoping to emulate the World Cup and double Euro-winning achievements of Cesc Fabregas while sporting the prestigious number 10 shirt, rather than those of more recent wearers such as Thiago Alcantara and Marco Asensio.

Beginnings

Pedri made his debut for Spain's senior team in March 2021 against Greece, coming on as a substitute in the 1-1 draw. He was assigned the number 20 for his first appearance with the squad.

International Tournaments

He was included in Spain’s Euro 2020 squad (which took place in summer 2021) and wore the number 26 during Spain’s run to the semi-final where they were knocked out by eventual winners Italy. UEFA allowed national teams to bring a 26 man squad to the tournament rather than the usual 23, hence the presence of squad numbers higher than 23 that year.

In something of a rarity, Pedri competed in a second international tournament of the summer, representing Spain in the Olympics while wearing the number 16. The Spanish team wore a different badge featuring the Spanish flag and the Olympic rings, as FA badges are not permitted in the Olympics. The Three Stripes were also absent from the shoulders of the kits.

Present and Future?

More recently, he has worn numbers 20 and 21 for his national team. With his talent developing and becoming even more evident, this latest switch to the number 10 could be a permanent one for the 2021 Golden Boy winner.

For Barcelona, Pedri wears the No. 16 kit.

Do you think Pedri deserves to wear the number 10 for La Roja? Comment below.