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| Photo credit — Lionel Messi |
Argentina cannot permanently retire Lionel Messi’s iconic No. 10 jersey due to FIFA tournament squad-number rules requiring consecutive numbers 1–26. Details on the regulation, past precedents, and possible successors.
Argentina’s desire to permanently retire Lionel Messi’s No. 10 shirt has run into a hard limit set by FIFA regulations. While the Argentine Football Association (AFA) and many fans wanted to honour the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner by taking the number out of circulation after his international retirement, tournament rules make a full, permanent retirement impossible in official FIFA competitions.
Messi announced his retirement from international football on 31 August 2026, ending a 21-year career with the national team. He leaves as Argentina’s all-time leading appearance-maker and goalscorer with 207 caps and 125 goals. The Inter Miami forward is scheduled to make a farewell appearance in a friendly against Benin on 6 October 2026 at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires.
AFA president Claudio Tapia had previously expressed interest in retiring the No. 10 once Messi’s international career ended. That gesture is common at club level (Napoli with Diego Maradona’s No. 10, for example), but national teams operate under different constraints.
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Why FIFA rules block a permanent retirement
FIFA requires teams in its final tournaments (World Cup, and by extension similar major competitions under its framework) to assign consecutive squad numbers matching the squad size. For the 2026 World Cup, 26-player squads used numbers 1 through 26 with no gaps allowed. Leaving No. 10 vacant would break that requirement. The same principle applies to future World Cups and other FIFA-organised finals.
Argentina can choose not to assign the number in certain friendlies or non-tournament matches. Head coach Lionel Scaloni has indicated that approach for the immediate window: the shirt will not be given to anyone until after Messi’s farewell game. After that, a decision will be needed for competitive fixtures.
This is not a new issue for Argentina. Before the 2002 World Cup, the AFA tried to retire the No. 10 in honour of Diego Maradona. FIFA rejected the request, and Ariel Ortega wore the number at the tournament. The same rule has affected other nations. Liberia retired the No. 14 shirt to honour George Weah, but FIFA regulations later required the number to be used again during World Cup qualifying.
In short, the number can be left unused as a temporary mark of respect outside major tournaments, but it cannot be permanently removed from FIFA competition squads while the consecutive-numbering rule remains in force.
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Who might inherit the shirt?
Scaloni has said the decision has not been finalised publicly. “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,” he stated.
Reports from Argentine media, including ESPN Argentina journalist Federico Bueno, have named Nico Paz as a leading internal candidate if Scaloni extends his contract. The 22-year-old attacking midfielder (born 2004 in Tenerife, Spain, to an Argentine father) came through Real Madrid’s academy before joining Serie A side Como. He has earned senior caps for Argentina (including appearances at the 2026 World Cup while wearing other numbers) and is often described as a modern playmaker suited to the classic No. 10 role. Other names have also been floated in discussion, but no official permanent assignment has been confirmed.
Context and what it means going forward
Messi’s No. 10 carries enormous symbolic weight in Argentine football, following the legacy established by Maradona. Retiring it would have been a powerful tribute. FIFA’s practical approach prioritises uniform squad administration across all teams and competitions over individual national tributes in official tournaments.
Argentina can still honour Messi in other ways: special commemorative kits or events for friendlies, museum displays, or leaving the number unused in selected non-competitive matches. When the next major tournament squad is named, however, someone will have to wear No. 10.
The farewell match against Benin offers a final public moment for Messi in the Albiceleste shirt. After that, the focus shifts to the next generation and how Scaloni manages the transition—including the eventual assignment of one of football’s most iconic numbers.
Sources and further reading notes for your site:
• Messi’s retirement announcement and career stats widely covered by Reuters, BBC, and others (31 August 2026).
• FIFA squad-number requirements confirmed in multiple reports referencing 2026 World Cup regulations (numbers 1–26).
• Scaloni comments and Nico Paz speculation reported via ESPN Argentina and related outlets.
• Historical Maradona precedent and Liberia/Weah example documented in contemporary coverage.
Samuel O. Sulaimon is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Naijapiz. He covers News, Sports, Finance, Faiths, Education, Technology.
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