Lionel Messi: Why Argentina Can’t Retire Number 10 After His International Retirement
- Lionel Messi announced his retirement from international football on August 31, days after Argentina lost the 2026 FIFA World Cup final to Spain
- Argentina's Football Association had previously planned to retire the number 10 shirt when Messi stepped down, but a FIFA rule makes that impossible
- Franco Mastantuono last wore it but Nico Paz and Lautaro Martinez are among the players who could inherit the iconic jersey
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Lionel Messi has officially retired from international football, and a little-known FIFA regulation means Argentina will be forced to hand his famous number 10 shirt to a new player rather than hang it up permanently.
Messi announced on August 31, two days after Argentina lost to Spain in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final. While many observers had already sensed the final would be his last cap, the formal confirmation still came as a jolt to the football world.
Source: Getty Images
As noted by Marca, Argentina Football Association President Claudio Tapia had said as far back as 2014 that the number 10 would be retired once Messi was done.
Why Argentina can't retire number 10
That plan, however, runs into a direct conflict with FIFA rules governing squad numbers for national teams as there is no provision for leaving a number unissued as a mark of honour.
According to Sports Illustrated, FIFA requires that every number within a squad must be assigned to a player. If a national team carries 26 players, then shirt numbers one through 26 must each belong to someone.
The same regulation had actually prevented Argentina from retiring the number 10 for Diego Maradona before Messi ever wore it. Had that been allowed to happen, Messi would never have inherited the jersey in the first place.
A comparable situation arose in club football, where a La Liga rule stopped Barcelona from permanently retiring the number 10 before it was passed to Lamine Yamal.
The most recent player to pull on the number 10 shirt in Messi's absence was Franco Mastantuono, who did so when Messi missed a game in September 2025.
Looking ahead, Como midfielder Nico Paz has emerged as one of the names being considered to take on the role permanently. Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez is another candidate whose profile makes him a credible contender for one of the most scrutinised shirt numbers in world football.
Lamine Yamal pays tribute to Messi
Legit.ng previously reported that Lamine Yamal paid tribute to Lionel Messi after the Argentina captain retired from international football.
The Barcelona star shared a picture of himself and Messi after the 2026 FIFA World Cup final in the United States on his Instagram page.
Source: Legit.ng
