Barcelona have started the 2025/26 season with an unusual twist: the Barcelona number 2 shirt remains unassigned in the first team. This detail, reported by SPORT, marks the first time in 18 years that the jersey is without an owner. For a club rich in traditions, the absence of a player wearing such a historically significant shirt number is striking.
Since the introduction of fixed squad numbers in the 1995/96 season, the number 2 has been reserved almost exclusively for the right-back role. In nearly three decades, it has passed through the hands of 12 different players, with only Pau Cubarsí breaking the trend as a non-full-back who briefly wore it. The decision to leave it vacant this season highlights Barcelona’s current struggles with finding a natural right-back.
The move is not just symbolic—it also reflects deeper issues in the squad. Without a clear first-choice right-back, and with two makeshift options filling the gap, the club seems to have quietly acknowledged the instability by leaving the iconic number untouched.
No Natural Right-Back at Barcelona
The Barcelona number 2 shirt situation is directly tied to the club’s lack of a specialized right-back. Currently, Jules Kounde and Eric Garcia have been repurposed to cover the role. Both are central defenders by trade, but their versatility has forced them into wider defensive positions.
Kounde, who has been used as a right-back for several seasons now, has often voiced his preference for playing centrally. Yet, Barcelona’s needs keep him on the flank. Eric Garcia, meanwhile, has surprised fans by starting this campaign as a frequent option in the same role, even though right-back was never his natural position.
Despite their involvement, neither Kounde nor Garcia chose to claim the number 2 shirt for the 2025/26 season. The decision underlines a sense of hesitation, almost as if the players themselves are wary of taking on the number and the history that comes with it. For now, the shirt remains empty, a silent reminder of the club’s ongoing struggle to secure stability in that area of the pitch.
The Curse of the Number 2 Shirt
The decision to leave the Barcelona number 2 shirt vacant is not entirely without precedent. In fact, recent history suggests the jersey has been a source of misfortune rather than success.
Since Dani Alves left the club in 2016, no player has consistently lived up to the shirt’s legacy. Alves himself set an incredibly high standard between 2010 and 2013, becoming arguably the best right-back in Barcelona’s modern history. But his successors often fell short of expectations.
From Hector Bellerin’s short-lived stint to Joao Cancelo’s inconsistent loan spell, the number 2 has seemed cursed. Sergiño Dest arrived as a highly promising signing from Ajax but failed to adapt to the tactical demands at Camp Nou. Nelson Semedo provided flashes of stability but never truly convinced fans he was the long-term answer. And then came Douglas—a signing many consider one of the strangest in Barcelona’s history—whose time at the club remains forgettable.
The trend has been clear: players given the number 2 shirt rarely thrive at Barcelona. It is little wonder the management decided to leave it vacant this season.
Looking Back: When the Number Was Last Abandoned
The current situation is rare but not completely unprecedented.
The last time the Barcelona number 2 shirt was left without an owner came during the 2008/09 season. That year, Martin Cáceres eventually wore it after the number had gone unclaimed at the start of the campaign.
Much like today, the vacancy reflected uncertainty at right-back. Since then, the jersey has bounced around from player to player without ever truly settling. The lack of continuity has damaged the shirt’s reputation, making it seem more like a burden than a privilege.
By leaving it unassigned this season, Barcelona have broken an 18-year run but perhaps also lifted some of the “curse” surrounding it. The hope may be that by pressing pause, the club can eventually restore the number’s prestige when a genuine long-term right-back arrives.
Tactical Implications for Xavi and His Squad
For Xavi Hernandez, the absence of a natural right-back and the vacant Barcelona number 2 shirt represent more than just a symbolic issue—it affects his tactical plans. Playing centre-backs in wide positions limits the team’s ability to attack through the flanks, a key part of Barcelona’s traditional system.
The use of Kounde and Garcia at right-back is a short-term fix rather than a long-term solution.
Both players are capable defenders but lack the overlapping runs and attacking instincts of a specialist full-back. This has forced Barcelona to adjust their shape, with midfielders often covering wider areas to compensate.
Leaving the number 2 shirt vacant almost acts as a statement: Barcelona need to address the right-back position in the transfer market. Until then, Xavi must find ways to work around the gap, balancing defensive security with the need for attacking width.
What This Means for Barcelona’s Future
The unclaimed Barcelona number 2 shirt tells a deeper story about the club’s current state. It is a reflection of the transition phase Barcelona find themselves in—still searching for identity, stability, and long-term solutions in key positions.
For fans, the decision carries mixed emotions. On one hand, it highlights the absence of a Dani Alves-like figure, someone who can own the role and the number with pride. On the other, it could be seen as a refreshing reset, an opportunity to break from a history of bad luck and start anew when the right player eventually arrives.
The future of the number 2 shirt now depends on whether
Barcelona can secure a natural right-back in the next transfer windows. Until then, the vacant jersey will remain a talking point, a small but symbolic reminder that even giants like Barcelona are not immune to positional gaps and superstitions.
