Messi and Kluivert, previous owners of the No.19 shirt at Barcelona
Martin Braithwaite was unveiled at Camp Nou this evening. He has taken the No.19 squad number, which was free following Carles Aleñá’s exit last month.
New Barcelona signing Martin Braithwaite was formally unveiled at Camp Nou this evening. The Danish striker has been handed the number 19 squad number which has been free since its previous owner, Carles Aleñá, left to join Betis on loan last month. Barça were able to sign Braithwaite because of the long-term injury to Ousmane Dembélé – and he is not the only winter arrival to wear the No.19 shirt. Kevin-Prince Boateng wore the number when he joined the club on a six-month loan in January 2019, inheriting it from Munir El Haddadi, who had joined Sevilla little over a week earlier.
Players who have worn the No.19 shirt at Barcelona
Other players who have donned the number 19 shirt for the blaugranas include Lucas Digné and Sandro Ramírez – both of whom left for Everton. Before them, Ibrahim Afellay, Martin Montoya and Maxwell had the number.
The number 19 shirt has also had a couple of high-profile owners – Leo Messi wore it for two seasons, from 2006 until 2008, until his favoured number 10 shirt became available when Ronaldinho left the club. Another esteemed owner was Patrick Kluivert, who wore the number during his first season at Camp Nou – in 1998/1999, until Sonny Anderson let him have the No.9 shirt.