Vinícius Júnior Hands Brazil’s Iconic No. 10 Shirt Back to Neymar

Recently, Vinícius Júnior made a classy gesture that effectively ended the debate over the iconic No. 10 shirt for the Brazil national football team by announcing that he would return the legendary number to Neymar following his recovery from injury.

For Brazil, the No. 10 shirt is far more than just a number — it is a symbol of football greatness. Legends such as Pelé, Zico, and Ronaldinho all wore the shirt during their careers. Since Neymar suffered a serious injury against Uruguay national football team in October 2023, both Raphinha and Vinícius had taken on the responsibility of wearing the famous number.

Although Vinícius has been outstanding in recent years, he believes there is only one true owner of the shirt. Speaking to CazéTV, he made his position clear: “I’m not sure what number I’ll wear at the World Cup yet, but one thing is certain — the No. 10 shirt belongs to Neymar, without any doubt.”

Since the 2022-23 season, Vinícius has worn the No. 10 shirt for Brazil on several occasions while Neymar was sidelined through injury. Now, with Neymar returning to the national team, Vinícius is expected to switch back to his more familiar No. 7, handing the iconic No. 10 back to his senior teammate.