Santos and Neymar have sent Lionel Messi and his sons signed Santos shirts bearing the Brazilian forward’s name and the iconic No 10, in a gesture celebrating football’s enduring lineage.
According to İdman.Biz, the Brazilian club shared a photograph of Messi posing alongside his sons with the gifted shirts, accompanied by a message rich in symbolism. “From Neymar to Lionel Messi. From the prince to the genius. A sacred shirt of immeasurable value with a number immortalised by the King. Neymar’s 10. Messi’s 10. Pele’s 10. The infinite legacy of football. Greetings from Vila Belmiro, Lionel Messi,” the statement read.
The reference to Pele, Santos’ most legendary figure, underscores the historic weight carried by the No 10 shirt at the club. Vila Belmiro remains synonymous with the late Brazilian icon, whose influence helped define the modern game and elevate Santos onto the global stage.
Neymar and Messi famously played together at Barcelona between 2013 and 2017, forming one of the most prolific attacking trios in football history alongside Luis Suarez. During the 2014/15 campaign, the Catalan side secured La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the UEFA Champions League to complete a historic treble. Across more than 160 matches together, Messi and Neymar combined for over 200 goals in all competitions, playing a central role in Barcelona’s domestic and European dominance.
The latest exchange highlights the enduring bond between two of the modern era’s defining forwards, as well as the symbolic connection between generations linked by the No 10 shirt.
