The Argentine Football Association faces a FIFA obstacle in its attempt to permanently retire the No. 10 jersey following Lionel Messi's retirement from international football.
World football governing body regulations prohibit national teams from permanently withdrawing shirt numbers during official tournaments, preventing the federation from taking the number out of circulation.
In major tournaments such as the World Cup, FIFA rules mandate that squad numbers must be assigned consecutively from 1 to 26 for a 26-player roster, meaning no individual number within that range can be omitted.
Argentine Football Association president Claudio Tapia announced the intention as early as 2024, saying the national team's No. 10 jersey would be retired once Messi brought his international career to an end.
Calls have grown across Argentina to permanently retire the number most closely identified with Messi, as replacing the captain presents a major sporting challenge for the team.
Players such as Nico Paz, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernández, and Thiago Almada have been discussed as potential candidates to wear the shirt, though many in Argentina feel none of them represents a self-evident heir to Messi's legacy.
Historical Precedent with Diego Maradona
This is not the first time Argentine football leaders have tried to retire the legendary jersey. In 2001, the Argentine Football Association voted unanimously to withdraw the No. 10 shirt in honor of Diego Maradona, intending for it to be removed from use starting at the 2002 World Cup.
FIFA refused to permit the retirement of the shirt for that tournament as well. As a result, forward Ariel Ortega wore the No. 10 jersey for Argentina at the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea, becoming the player who donned the shirt most frequently between the Maradona and Messi eras.
Friendly Match Plans and FIFA Authority
While a permanent withdrawal from official competitions remains blocked, the Argentine Football Association retains greater flexibility during non-competitive fixtures. Current plans indicate that Argentina may leave the No. 10 shirt unassigned during upcoming friendly matches scheduled for September and October.
Withholding the shirt in the upcoming autumn games would serve as an initial symbolic farewell to a number that has become uniquely intertwined with two of the greatest figures in world football history.
Whether Messi's No. 10 jersey can ever be officially retired on a permanent basis remains uncertain, as final approval rests entirely with FIFA rather than Argentine authorities.
