FIFA Regulations Halt Argentina's Plan to Retire Messi's No. 10 Jersey

The Argentine Football Association's aspiration to permanently retire Lionel Messi's legendary No. 10 jersey has been thwarted due to existing FIFA rules, GOAL.com revealed on Thursday. Reports indicate that the AFA intended to withdraw the number from future use once Messi concludes his international playing career.

Messi had previously made public his decision to step down from international duties on August 31, bringing an end to over two decades representing Argentina. His final appearance for the national team before the home crowd is anticipated for October 6, during a friendly match against Benin at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires. Throughout a significant portion of his international tenure, which spans 207 caps and 125 goals, Messi has consistently donned Argentina's iconic No. 10.

Nevertheless, FIFA's stipulations mandate that all participating teams in international final tournaments must allocate squad numbers sequentially from 1 to 26, thereby precluding Argentina from permanently withdrawing the No. 10 jersey. A comparable scenario unfolded with Liberia, who had retired the No. 14 shirt as a tribute to their esteemed former striker and president, George Weah. FIFA's rules later compelled Liberia to reintroduce the number for their 2026 World Cup qualifying matches.

Meanwhile, Argentina's head coach, Lionel Scaloni, has not yet designated a successor for Messi's coveted jersey. ESPN reported Scaloni stating, "We are not compelled to assign it for the forthcoming games, so we will not allocate it to anyone until after Leo’s farewell fixture. We simply haven't made a decision on who yet."

However, Federico Bueno, an ESPN Argentina correspondent, indicated that Nico Paz is the primary contender to inherit the shirt, contingent on Scaloni renewing his coaching agreement. Bueno revealed, "Should Scaloni prolong his tenure as Argentina's head coach, then Nico Paz will become the new number 10. This decision has been made internally." Paz, a 22-year-old attacking midfielder, previously featured for Real Madrid before making a permanent €60 million move to Italian club Como last summer. He currently boasts 11 appearances for the Argentine national team, with one goal to his name.