Napoli caught the footballing world’s attention on Tuesday when they posted a first-day training photo of their latest recruit, Kevin de Bruyne, on social media. Eagle-eyed fans were quick to see that he was sporting the No. 10 jersey, which belonged to the legendary Diego Maradona, who played for the Italian club between 1984 to 1991, helping them win two Serie A titles and the UEFA Cup.
In 2000, Napoli retired Maradona’s iconic jersey number as a tribute to his achievements. De Bruyne’s image has thus ignited a debate about whether or not Napoli should un-retire the No. 10 shirt for the Belgian, a modern-day superstar himself.
Opinions are divided among Maradona fans. “There can be only one Maradona and only one No. 10 shirt and by retiring it Napoli have shown great respect for the Argentine ace. Similar instances have happened in cricket too. Sachin Tendulkar’s jersey was retired by the BCCI. So, there should be no reason to un-retire this jersey,” says Ashish Kamble, a Maradona fan.
However, Ryan Noronha, another die-hard Maradona worshipper offered a contrasting view. “This No. 10 jersey symbolises the legend of Maradona, so, why should that legend retire? Maradona’s legacy should live on through the No. 10 shirt and it’s only apt if that jersey can be sported by another star like De Bruyne.”
The chances of De Bruyne actually wearing the No. 10 jersey are pretty slim since pre-season training kit numbers are rarely the actual numbers allotted to players when the season kicks-off, but let the argument continue.
