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Argentina's legendary No. 10 shirt is now officially up for grabs following Lionel Messi's retirement from international football. Despite widespread calls for the number to be permanently shelved, such an outcome remains highly unlikely.
Messi's heartfelt farewell signals the beginning of a new chapter for La Albiceleste. The Rosario-born wizard has been a cornerstone of Argentina's campaign across six World Cups, making his debut in 2006 and wearing the No. 10 in the five tournaments that followed, from 2010 through 2026.
The historic announcement of Messi's retirement sparked widespread calls among Argentinians to permanently retire the No. 10 jersey, preventing any future player from ever wearing it again.
Yet unlike in major American sports leagues, Argentina cannot simply retire the No. 10 and hang it from the rafters of the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires — and FIFA is the reason why.
Why Argentina's Can't Retire Messi's No. 10
Even Argentine Football Association (AFA) president Claudio Tapia has publicly expressed his intention to retire Messi's shirt. "Argentina's No. 10 shirt will be retired when Messi ends his professional career," Tapia stated in 2024, as reported by Marca.
However, Tapia will need to find a way around FIFA's long-established competitive regulations to make good on that pledge. FIFA requires national teams to assign numbers sequentially to every player on the squad. For instance, during the 2026 World Cup, where each team carried a 26-player roster, only shirt numbers 1 through 26 were permitted.
FIFA's strict numbering rules apply solely to official competitions governed by football's global authority — friendly matches are an entirely separate matter. Argentina could freely play international friendlies without any player wearing the No. 10.
However, when the 2028 Copa América or the 2030 World Cup arrives, it's difficult to imagine AFA successfully persuading FIFA to allow the No. 10 to remain unassigned — particularly given a very relevant historical precedent.
History Repeats Itself With Argentina's Iconic Jersey Number
Had FIFA's rules not intervened, Messi might never have worn Argentina's No. 10 to begin with. In 2001, then-AFA president Julio Grondona and the federation unanimously voted to retire the number as a tribute to the iconic Diego Maradona. FIFA overruled the decision, and Ariel "El Burrito" Ortega went on to wear the famous Albiceleste shirt at the 2002 World Cup the following year.
Retiring shirt numbers is not standard practice in football, and the rare exceptions that do exist are confined to the club level. While Argentina was denied the gesture, Maradona's No. 10 has been retired by Napoli, and no Ajax player will ever wear the No. 14 out of respect for the great Johan Cruyff. Similarly, AC Milan's No. 3 is forever associated with Paolo Maldini — with the sole exception of his sons.
FIFA, however, has held firm on the matter. Beyond the Maradona case, the governing body has rejected similar requests, including the Netherlands' bid to retire Cruyff's No. 14.
In hindsight, FIFA's refusal may have been a blessing in disguise, as Messi wearing Argentina's No. 10 only deepened the timeless debate comparing him to Maradona — particularly after he lifted the 2022 World Cup, the nation's first title since El Diego achieved the same feat in 1986.
Now, however, the shirt is vacant once more, and whoever takes it on will carry the legacy of not one, but two of the greatest footballers the sport has ever seen.
Who Will Inherit Argentina's No. 10 Shirt
Several candidates are in contention to take on the No. 10 shirt once worn by both Messi and Maradona — along with all the immense pressure and expectations that come with it.
Teenage sensation Franco Mastantuono was the last player other than Messi to wear La Albiceleste's No. 10, back in September 2025, but the then-Real Madrid youngster has struggled significantly since and failed to earn a spot in Argentina's 2026 World Cup squad.
Other notable Argentine players who wear the No. 10 at club level could also be in the running, including Lautaro Martínez and Alexis Mac Allister. While Julián Alvarez and Enzo Fernández don't wear the number for their clubs, both are expected to be central figures in Argentina's next generation, and either of the former River Plate teammates could opt to embrace the iconic shirt's responsibility.
As things currently stand, and given the storied history of Argentina's No. 10, the frontrunner to succeed Messi is 21-year-old attacking midfielder Nico Paz. The Como standout is widely regarded as the next in Argentina's celebrated tradition of gifted left-footed playmakers — a lineage defined by Messi and Maradona themselves.