Roma legend Francesco Totti has revealed what Paulo Dybala has to do to inherit his iconic No.10 shirt at the Italian club.
The Argentine winger joined the capital last summer after leaving Juventus on a free transfer. Since joining Roma, the fans are pleased with his performances and want him to stay at the club for more years.
Paulo currently wears the No. 21 shirt for the club but there are talks over him being given the N0. 10 jersey this season. This has brought out doubts about whether newcomer Dybala should inherit such a huge jersey number.
What does Paulo Dybala need to do to get the No.10 jersey?
The No. 10 jersey is notable in Roma as it used to belong to former legendary player Francesco Totti. Totti is remembered for his longevity, loyalty, and dedication to the club. He spent all his career at the club and helped them win their last Seria A title win.
In an exclusive interview with GOAL, the Italian legend was asked whether Dybala deserves his jersey number. He then said that Dybvala needs to prove his loyalty to the fans by staying for ten more years at the club.
“Does he deserve Roma’s number 10? He deserves it if he stays another 10-20 years.”
"He deserves it if he's thinking of staying another 10-20 years in Rome."
— Calcio Report (@CalcioReport1) June 25, 2023
🗣Totti when asked if Dybala should wear the shirt with the number 10😅 (GOAL)#Roma #Totti #Dybala pic.twitter.com/LpnjMOrWSX
This is a reference to his own loyalty to Roma, where he spent almost 25 years.
Paulo Dybala was actually offered the No. 10 shirt when he joined the club last summer. Totti himself gave his blessing to the player. But Dybala refused with respect to the amazing career of Totti at Roma. While he chose No. 21, he did say he will take the No. 10 jersey in the future.
“Maybe one day I’ll wear it, but today I’m happy with 21. It’s a number I’m tied to and with which I started to win.”
It is important to note that no one currently wears the No. 10 shirt at the club.
Paulo Dybala’s first season at Roma
Dybala had a good debut season for Roma, despite injuries hampering his progress.
In 38 games across all competitions, Dybala notched 18 goals and assisted 8 times. Of those 12 goals and 7 assists were in the Serie A, which helped Roma gain a Europa League spot for next season. Notably, he scored the winner against Spezia on the last day to beat Juventus to the sixth spot.
Dybala was also pivotal to Mourinho’s team in the Europa League as he scored 5 goals in the competition. Despite reaching the final, where Dybala even scored, Roma lost on penalties to Sevilla. Their only chance of winning silverware was lost.
If injuries did not hinder him, Dybala could have done more to help his team. But nevertheless, the fans are still happy with the player’s dedication to the club. The Argentine winger is now considered a vital part of the team.
Dybala is said to continue at Roma for next season, even though there are reports of a possible exit. Notably, the rumors of Jose Mourinho possibly leaving the managerial role are said to irritate him. Jose was the reason Dybala joined in the first place and it is possible he may leave if Jose leaves.
Dybala is now on vacation as the season ended. He will be back in July for the club’s pre season tour before next season.
