La Liga opens: Battle of No. 10 Lamine Yamal vs Mbappe

The 2025/26 La Liga race promises to be dramatic, but above all is the battle between number 10s Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappe.

The new “ number 10 ”

Lamine Yamal is only 18 years old, but he steps onto the pitch with the attitude of someone destined for great history.

In the 2024/25 season, he scored 18 goals and assisted 2 times for Barcelona in all competitions, leading La Liga in the number of assists (13).

Yamal received Barca's iconic number 10. Photo: FCB

Including the Champions League and other competitions, Yamal has been directly involved in 40 goals in 55 games – an extraordinary number for such a young player.

He broke a series of records: youngest player to score in El Clasico, reached 100 matches for Barca, and scored in the Champions League semi-finals.

Lamine Yamal debuts number 10 shirt at Barca: Following in the footsteps of 'superman' Messi

That explosion made Barca hastily “lock” Yamal until 2031 with the same salary as the pillars. More than a contract, he was given the number 10 shirt – both a reward and a responsibility.

At Camp Nou, the number 10 is a legacy – associated with the icon Lionel Messi . It requires not only technique and inspiration, but also the courage to withstand great pressure.

Hansi Flick knows that every attacking plan this season will revolve around Yamal, from the right-wing breakthroughs to the defence-splitting passes.

Mbappe is different. He came to Real Madrid as a 2018 World Cup winner, Ligue 1 top scorer, and French football icon.

In the 2024/25 season, in his first year in La Liga, he immediately became Pichichi with 31 goals.

Including all competitions, that number is up to 48 goals and 13 assists in 68 matches – breaking the debut record of a Real Madrid player.

The number 10 at the Bernabeu is not the shirt of a lone artist; it is a symbol of strength and leadership.

Mbappe brings a pace and goalscoring instinct that Real Madrid have not had since Cristiano Ronaldo.

Mbappe is the power center in the Real Madrid dressing room. Photo: RMCF

Under Xabi Alonso, Real Madrid built their style of play with Mbappe as the finishing point of every pass.

His 40-meter sprint, his cool finishing, or his stretching of the defense – all make him a nightmare for any defense.

The battle of “ number 10 ”

Yamal and Mbappe are two extremes of attacking football. Lamine prioritises creativity: dribbling, combining, creating space for teammates. Kylian lives for goals: winning the ball, accelerating, finishing.

One is just starting his career, the other has been at the top for nearly a decade. But they have something in common: decisiveness in big games.

Yamal scored in the Champions League semi-final, assisted in the Copa del Rey final, and is a Ballon d'Or candidate.

At 26, Mbappe has reached two World Cup finals, keeping up his habit of scoring against the toughest opponents.

If Mbappe is the destination of every ball, then Yamal is the source of goals. Lamine is also the inspiration for his teammates to be more confident.

Every match between Barca and Real Madrid this season will be a direct battle between two new icons. It's not just about goals or assists, it's about influence, stature and the ability to decide the game.

The Mbappe-Yamal rivalry recalls the rivalry between Ronaldo and Messi. Photo: B/R

Historically, the number 10 at two clubs has rarely been at the same time at the peak of his career; nor has he been a direct competitor to the other. La Liga now has the chance to witness that.

Yamal, with his youth and daring, gave Fran Garcia a hard time last season. This season, he faces Alvaro Carreras – one of Real Madrid’s new signings. Meanwhile, Mbappe is still facing the old Barca defence.

La Liga was once the most exciting league in the world , with El Clasico having the highest TV viewership, thanks to the Messi and Ronaldo era.

Now, the simultaneous emergence of Yamal and Mbappe serves as a metaphor for La Liga: both searching for the face of the future and enjoying the best of the present.

On one side is the promise of the decade ahead, on the other is the guarantee of instant victory. This season may not just be about who scores more goals or assists more.

La Liga 2015/26 (opening match Girona vs Rayo Vallecano; 0:00 on August 16) will be a race for influence: who leads the team to the throne, who becomes the representative face of the tournament globally. It is also the battle for the 2026 Golden Ball.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/la-liga-2025-26-khai-mac-dai-chien-so-10-lamine-yamal-vs-mbappe-2432287.html