Argentina’s plan to retire Lionel Messi’s iconic No. 10 shirt has reportedly been blocked by FIFA regulations, according to GOAL.com.
The Argentine Football Association was said to be considering permanently retiring the number following Messi’s retirement from international football.
Messi announced on August 31 that he would step away from international football after more than two decades representing Argentina.
The Inter Miami forward is expected to make his farewell appearance before the Argentine public on October 6, when Argentina face Benin in a friendly at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires.
Messi, who has made 207 international appearances and scored 125 goals, has worn Argentina’s No. 10 shirt for most of his international career.
However, FIFA rules require teams competing in international final tournaments to use squad numbers from 1 to 26, meaning Argentina cannot permanently retire the No. 10 shirt.
Liberia faced a similar situation after retiring the No. 14 shirt in honour of former striker and president George Weah.
FIFA regulations later required Liberia to use the number during its 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign.
Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni has not yet decided who will inherit Messi’s iconic shirt.
“We are not obliged to assign it for the upcoming matches, so we will give it to no one until after Leo’s farewell match. We just have not yet decided who,” ESPN quoted Scaloni as saying.
Meanwhile, ESPN Argentina reporter Federico Bueno reported that Nico Paz is the leading candidate to take over the shirt if Scaloni extends his contract.
“If Scaloni extends his contract as Argentina head coach, then Nico Paz will be the new number 10. That has been decided internally,” Bueno said.
Paz, 22, is an attacking midfielder who came through Real Madrid before joining Italian club Como permanently for €60 million last summer.
He has made 11 appearances for Argentina and scored one goal.