Real Madrid have handed their iconic No. 10 jersey to Kylian Mbappe – snubbing rising star Arda Güler and sparking a wave of backlash across Spain, Türkiye, and beyond.
The announcement, confirmed by Spanish outlet Marca on Tuesday, means Mbappe will wear the prestigious number once worn by club legends like Luka Modric, Zinedine Zidane, and Luis Figo when he takes the field for the 2025-26 season.
The move comes just weeks after Luka Modric – who wore No. 10 for eight years – departed for AC Milan and symbolically handed the shirt to Güler during his emotional farewell at the Bernabeu.
Güler, the 20-year-old Turkish phenom viewed by many as Modric’s natural heir, was widely expected to inherit the jersey.
But in a calculated pivot, Real Madrid opted for Mbappe, who now becomes the commercial face of a new “KM10” brand.
Marketing over merit?
Spanish and French media report the club’s choice was driven less by on-field positioning – Mbappe is a forward, not a playmaker – and more by image and income.
Club sources estimate that assigning the No. 10 to Mbappe could bring in tens of millions of euros in shirt sales, a key move in competing with Barcelona’s rising merchandising star, Lamine Yamal.
The Frenchman scored 44 goals in his first season at Madrid and helped lead the team to La Liga and Champions League titles under Xabi Alonso.
His leadership and global reach, not to mention his history wearing No. 10 for France, made him an appealing commercial centerpiece.
“Mbappe is the face of Real Madrid’s new era,” one source told Defensa Central. “This decision wasn’t just tactical – it was strategic.”
Güler’s role
While Güler will continue to wear No. 15, his importance within the squad is growing.
The Turkish international impressed in the 2025 Club World Cup, registering two assists in a win over Borussia Dortmund, and has earned Alonso’s trust as a central midfielder. Still, he made no secret of his desire to wear the No. 10.
“I would love to be the number 10 of this club,” Güler said in a May interview with The Players’ Tribune. That dream is now on hold, though he has responded diplomatically: “I just want to play. The club decides these things.”
Despite the disappointment, Güler remains a key part of Madrid’s long-term vision.
Club insiders believe he is simply too young to carry the “burden of the 10” right now, and that his time will come.
Outrage and division
The decision has polarized fans, especially in Türkiye, where Güler is a national gem.
Turkish outlets Fanatik and Sporx called the move a “marketing betrayal,” while social media erupted with frustration over the perceived sidelining of Modric’s symbolic gesture.
In Spain, fans and pundits are split – some argue that Güler’s technical style fits the No. 10 mold better than Mbappe’s, while others see the Frenchman’s star power as too strong to ignore.
Modric’s farewell adds weight
The controversy is intensified by Modric’s highly public farewell, during which he personally handed the No. 10 jersey to Güler in front of a packed Bernabeu crowd.
The moment was seen as a passing of the torch – one now seemingly dropped by the club hierarchy.
For now, Arda Güler will wait his turn. With no signs of tension between him and Mbappe, and Alonso giving him increasing minutes in a pivotal midfield role, Güler remains one of Madrid’s brightest young stars.
If his upward trajectory continues, the No. 10 could still be his in the near future.
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