“In my team, the numbers go from one to 11,” Real Madrid president Florentino Perez conveyed to Zinedine Zidane when the latter signed with the Spanish giants in 2001. “There are no 35 or 40 on the jerseys!”
Zidane gladly accepted the lowest available number, making the number five an iconic figure in Madrid’s history. This significance was such that, two decades later, Jude Bellingham reached out to Jesus Vallejo for the same digit when he moved to Spain’s capital.
Now, Kylian Mbappe, considered the heir to Zidane’s legacy at the pinnacle of French football, is poised to commence negotiations for his squad number after reaching a long-awaited agreement with Madrid.
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Options for Kylian Mbappe’s shirt number:
When Mbappe made his professional debut in December 2015, he wore number 33, replacing former Real Madrid full-back Fabio Coentrao. In his first European appearance later that month, he wore 39. Promoted to number 29 during the 2016/17 season with Monaco, Mbappe played a pivotal role in winning Ligue 1 and reaching the Champions League semi-finals.
Upon moving to PSG in the summer of 2017, he initially retained the number 29 but later assumed the number 7 in his second season after Lucas Moura joined Spurs. In Coupe de France matches, where players wear one to 11, Mbappe donned the numbers 9 and 11.
At the international level, Mbappe made his senior debut wearing the number 12, previously worn by Thierry Henry for France. He also wore the number 20 but became the team’s 10 during the 2018 World Cup, leading to his role as captain.
Considering Real Madrid’s current squad numbers, the lowest available digit for Mbappe would be 16. Alternatively, he could inherit the number of an outgoing player, with Luka Modric’s number 10 potentially becoming available if the 38-year-old leaves the club when his contract expires in June. The status of Modric’s future remains uncertain, but his number 8 is unlikely to be available due to Toni Kroos’ continued influence.