Lionel Messi has ended his legendary career with Argentina, but the No. 10 shirt he made his own cannot permanently follow him into retirement.
The Argentine Football Association has wanted to retire Messi’s number as a tribute to the greatest goalscorer and most-capped player in the country’s history. AFA president Claudio Tapia had publicly expressed that intention even before Messi retired from international football.
FIFA regulations, however, prevent Argentina from permanently removing the No. 10 from circulation in official competitions.
The reason is straightforward.
National teams participating in major tournaments must assign the available squad numbers consecutively. At the 2026 World Cup, FIFA required the 26 players on each final roster to wear numbers from 1 through 26. Argentina therefore cannot simply eliminate No. 10 and replace it with another number outside that sequence.
Argentina could choose not to use No. 10 during certain friendly matches, where the regulations surrounding squad numbers are less restrictive. Once the team participates in competitions governed by rules requiring consecutive numbering, however, someone will have to wear it.
It is a situation Argentina has encountered before.
After Diego Maradona’s international career ended, the AFA attempted to retire No. 10 in his honor. In 2001, the federation unanimously approved the proposal and intended to enter the 2002 World Cup without anyone wearing Maradona’s famous number.
Argentina planned to assign No. 24 instead, effectively leaving No. 10 vacant.
FIFA rejected the request.
The regulations for the 2002 World Cup required national teams to assign numbers consecutively from 1 through 23. FIFA president Sepp Blatter defended the decision, and Argentina ultimately had to include No. 10 among its squad numbers. Ariel Ortega wore the shirt at the tournament in South Korea and Japan.
That precedent means the shirt Messi inherited years later could not have disappeared with Maradona, and the same principle applies following Messi’s departure.
Messi began wearing Argentina’s No. 10 regularly in 2009 and carried it through five World Cups from 2010 through 2026. His international career ended with 207 appearances and 125 goals after making his senior debut in 2005.
He also led Argentina to the 2022 World Cup championship and Copa América titles in 2021 and 2024, while reaching World Cup finals in 2014 and 2026.
The question therefore shifts from whether Argentina can permanently retire No. 10 to who eventually inherits it.
No permanent successor has been selected. Lionel Scaloni can leave the shirt unused in friendlies when regulations permit, but Argentina will eventually have to assign it again in official tournaments.
More than two decades ago, FIFA prevented Argentina from retiring the shirt for Maradona. The same numbering rules mean Messi’s departure cannot mark the permanent end of Argentina’s No. 10 either.
