Kylian Mbappe is reportedly expected to wear the No 9 shirt at Real Madrid next season.

The Frenchman was confirmed as a Real Madrid player on Monday, bringing an end to one of the longest transfer sagas in modern football. 

It comes after the 2018 World Cup winner decided not to trigger a one-year extension with Paris Saint-Germain and instead fulfil a boyhood dream by playing at the Santiago Bernabeu. 

As reported by Fabrizio Romano, the Frenchman is expected to wear the No 9 shirt - despite having a personal preference for the No 10.

There is a classy reason however as to why he won't be wearing his preferred number during the 2024-25 season. 

Kylian Mbappe won't be wearing the No 10 shirt at Real Madrid like he does for France, with the Frenchman instead expected to take up the No 9

It's claimed that Mbappe and his camp didn't ask Real Madrid to get the No 10 shirt, due to his respect for Luka Modric.

Modric has been the No 10 at Real Madrid since the 2017-18 season, after it had previously been worn by James Rodriguez and Mesut Ozil during his first five seasons at the club. Until 2017, he had been wearing the No 19 shirt.  

The Croatian midfielder, now 38, was set to be out of contract this summer, before he signed a new one-year contract on a lower salary.

Modric has accepted more of a secondary role at the club this season, but has opted to remain at the club, unlike Toni Kroos who will retire after this summer's European Championship.  

Mbappe therefore could wait for the No 10 shirt when it becomes available, as Modric approaches the end of his career. 

However, by wearing the No 9 he would follow in the footsteps of some iconic players to have graced the Santiago Bernabeu.  

The most recent player to wear the shirt, is his former French international team-mate Karim Benzema - who represented the number for 13 years between 2010 and 2013. 

Before that, Cristiano Ronaldo wore the shirt during his first season at the club.

The Portuguese star, now at Al-Nassr, found himself in a similar situation to Mbappe now, as he didn't take his preferred No 7 shirt due to his respect for Real Madrid legend Raul.

The Spanish striker left in 2010, opening up the opportunity for Ronaldo to then take the No 7.  

The No 9 at Madrid has also been worn by Brazil legend Ronaldo Nazario, Mbappe's now former coach at PSG Luis Enrique, Hugo Sanchez and Alfredo Di Stefano.

Though Mbappe wears the No 10 with France, he hasn't used the number at club level since his one and only appearance for Monaco during the 2017-18 season - before joining PSG on loan. 

Mbappe wore the No 7 shirt at Paris Saint-Germain, as the No 10 had already been taken up by Neymar. 

When Neymar left the club last summer, it was then taken up by Mbappe's French international team-mate Ousmane Dembele.

The No 7 shirt at Real Madrid is currently taken up by Vinicius Jnr, who is favourite to win the next Ballon d'Or award after helping Real Madrid to their 15th Champions League trophy on Saturday.