OPINION: Dybala should wear Juventus’ n.10 shirt after Pogba
Pogba failed to cope with pressure with football’s most iconic shirt on his shoulder at the beginning of last season, so much so he even featured with a small number 5 written close to the big number 10 on his shoulders in one of last season’s games when the Old Lady was also struggling to get positive results and Pogba was one of the most blamed players for Juventus’ lack of victories.
The second part of the 2015-16 campaign was much more positive for the Frenchman whose bright performances helped Juveventus to claim their 5th successive Serie A title.
But who could wear the number ten after Pogba’s departure? Newcomer Miralem Pjanic has already picked up the number five, a number that became pretty popular among talented midfielders after Zinedine Zidane’ Real Madrid transfer back in 2001.
Juventus have many talented players, but there are only a few who can wear football’s most iconic shirt which is usually worn by attacking midfielders or support strikers, unless you are called William Gallas. Gonzalo Higuain has already chosen the number 9 shirt, Mandzukic and Zaza are not the prototype of strikers that can wear the number 10, Marko Pjaca has just joined the club and there is no reason to add more pressure on a 21-year-old player who is on the verge of playing his first season with a top European club.
That’s why the only player left to wear the number 10 shirt at Juventus next season is Paulo Dybala. The Argentinean striker netted 21 goals in his first season at the club showing that personality is not something he’s lacking of.
Personality, however, is not his only skill Dybala has. He embodies the perfect number 10, just like Alessandro Del Piero and Carlos Tevez, who had that number on their shoulders before Pogba. Dybala’s a small and pacey striker, but, at the same time he’s also very powerful and capable of scoring bags of goals each season. He’s a great free-kick taker and all this qualities mean he must be the chosen one to wear Juventus’ number 10 next campaign.
Dybala is not going not struggle to cope with pressure and come to terms with one of the heaviest shirt on his shoulders. The Argentinean has settled in well at the Stadium and the new shirt would only be a detail that is not going to influence the former Palermo starlet who, however, worn the number 21 last season; a figure that had already belonged to both Zinedine Zidane and Andrea Pirlo at Juventus.
After Alessandro Del Piero’s farewell in 2012, Juventus decided not to give the captain’s shirt to any of their players until Carlos Tevez arrived at the club 12 months later. With the departure of Pogba, the bianconeri’s n.10 shirt should not remain hidden in the club’s wardrobe for as much time.
Lorenzo Bettoni @lorebetto
