(Lionel Messi. Photo by Odd ANDERSEN / AFP)
Argentina’s plan to retire Lionel Messi’s famous No. 10 shirt has reportedly been blocked by FIFA rules on squad numbers at international tournaments.
GOAL.com reports that the Argentine Football Association wanted to retire the number for good after Messi decided to end his international career following more than two decades with the national team.
Messi announced his retirement on August 31 and is expected to play his farewell game in front of Argentine fans on October 6, when Argentina face Benin in a friendly at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires.
The Inter Miami forward has played 207 games for Argentina and scored 125 goals, wearing the No. 10 for most of that time.
FIFA rules say teams at international final tournaments must use squad numbers from 1 to 26, so Argentina cannot permanently take the No. 10 out of use.
Liberia faced the same problem after retiring the No. 14 shirt in honour of former striker and president George Weah.
FIFA later forced the country to use the number in its 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign.
Coach Lionel Scaloni has not decided who will take over the shirt.
ESPN quoted him as saying Argentina is not obliged to assign it for the coming matches, so nobody will wear it until after Messi’s farewell game.
He said they just have not yet decided who.
ESPN Argentina reporter Federico Bueno said Como midfielder Nico Paz is the leading candidate, but only if Scaloni extends his contract.
He said that has been decided internally.
Paz is 22 and came through at Real Madrid before joining Italian club Como permanently for €60m last summer.
The attacking midfielder has played 11 games for Argentina and scored once.
