Palmer: Chelsea’s ’10’, inspired by Messi and Rooney, reveals his idols

Cole Palmer reveals his idols and the importance of the number 10

The footballer Cole Palmer has confessed that his desire to wear the number 10 jersey at Chelsea is due to his admiration for iconic football figures like Lionel Messi and Wayne Rooney. Previously, Palmer played with the number 20, but made the change before the Club World Cup. His debut with the new number came in the 2-0 victory against Los Angeles FC.

Messi, the greatest, Rooney and players like that. It’s an iconic number. I used it all my life and I like it a lot.

Cole Palmer

The number 10 has been worn by Chelsea legends like Eden Hazard, Joe Cole, and Willian. Recently, Mykhailo Mudryk was the one who used it. Palmer also downplayed any suggestion of disagreement with coach Enzo Maresca over Chelsea’s style of play. After assisting in two goals that helped the Blues come back against Real Betis in last month’s Conference League final, Palmer stated that he was “fed up with going backwards and sideways”.

Palmer is one of the outstanding footballers of the Club World Cup, with his image adorning large banners in Philadelphia, where Chelsea is located for the upcoming matches against Flamengo and Esperance Sportive de Tunis. Palmer arrived at Chelsea in September 2023 for £42.5 million, after only 19 Premier League appearances with Manchester City. He has quickly established himself as one of the brightest talents in English football. When asked about his new fame, Palmer responded:

I’m a normal guy, so when people do that I think… why me? I still do the same things I did before joining Chelsea. I try to think that in the end it’s just a football game, it’s not life or death. So I just try to enjoy it.

Cole Palmer

Palmer added that he likes to play indoor soccer and everyday activities to clear his mind.