Lionel Messi has revealed Ronaldinho told him to take his No.10 shirt months before the Brazilian left Barcelona in 2008.
Ronaldinho joined Barcelona in 2003 and inherited the iconic number from Argentine midfielder Juan Roman Riquelme – who was sent on loan to Villarreal for two seasons.
The Brazilian star left after six years with the club, scoring almost 100 goals in just over 200 appearances.
And Messi revealed in an interview with Barca TV that Ronaldinho already promised him the No.10 shirt months before he announced he was leaving.
“Before leaving the club (Ronaldinho) was coming off a few months where he was thinking about things,” Messi said.
“He had it in his mind that he was leaving and he told me to have his number.
“I took it without looking at what he had done with the shirt. If I did, I would not have taken it.”
Messi has won 21 trophies with the No.10 on the back of his Barca jersey, and a total of 26 with the Spanish giants.