Argentina plan to retire Lionel Messi's iconic number 10 shirt following his farewell match against Benin on 6 October. The 39-year-old announced his retirement from international football on 31 August after a record 207 caps and 125 goals, culminating in the 2022 World Cup title and back-to-back Copa America wins in 2021 and 2024. The Argentine Football Association (AFA) intends the tribute to be permanent, but FIFA regulations present a significant obstacle.
FIFA rules block permanent tournament retirement
FIFA rules require national teams to assign squad numbers sequentially from 1 to 26 during official final tournaments like the World Cup or Copa America. This prevents the permanent retirement of any number in that range for competition purposes. Liberia faced this same issue, having to reassign George Weah's retired number 14 to Nicholas Andrews during 2026 World Cup qualification to comply with the guidelines.
Scaloni's hesitation and internal choice
Head coach Lionel Scaloni, 48, has stated the number will remain unassigned for upcoming matches until after Messi's farewell. "We are not obliged to assign it for the upcoming matches, so we will give it to no one until after Leo's farewell match," Scaloni said. "We just have not yet decided who." However, ESPN Argentina correspondent Federico Bueno reported an internal decision has been made. "If Scaloni extends his contract as Argentina head coach, then Nico Paz will be the new number 10," Bueno said. "That has been decided internally." The 22-year-old attacking midfielder, who made a €60 million move to Como last summer, has scored once in eleven appearances for his country.
Monumental farewell details
Messi's final ceremonial appearance will be at the 85,000-capacity Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires, with tickets selling out in under two hours. The event will feature a fan festival and a reunion of the 2022 World Cup-winning squad. Teammate Lautaro Martínez acknowledged the emotional weight, stating Tuesday's match will be "full of emotion, very special and important." Argentina will not assign the number 10 for any matches before deciding its long-term fate after the 6 October farewell. While Shelbourne focus on their own campaign, sitting sixth in the Premier Division with 40 points, the football world turns its eyes to Buenos Aires for a historic send-off. The Reds' next fixture is at home to Sligo Rovers on 9 October, with full details on our fixtures page and the latest standings.
Background and full detail: Goal.com
