Lionel Messi’s Argentina career is over, but the legacy of his No. 10 shirt is only beginning a new chapter. The Argentine Football Association once wanted to retire the number in his honor. That plan now faces the same FIFA tournament rules that blocked Argentina from retiring Diego Maradona’s No. 10 two decades ago.
Messi ended his international career on Aug. 31, 2026, after six World Cups and a record-setting run with the national team. Argentina lost to Spain in the World Cup final. Now the question is how Argentina can preserve the shirt’s meaning while FIFA rules require it to remain available.
FIFA’s squad numbering rules leave Argentina little room
FIFA’s 2026 World Cup regulations provide for numbers 1 through 26 to be allocated to each team’s players, with No. 1 reserved for a goalkeeper. Argentina, therefore, cannot submit a World Cup squad with No. 10 left unassigned.
Every player on the tournament squad must have an assigned number. Argentina can still honor Messi and preserve the significance of No. 10 outside the tournament’s squad-numbering requirements.
Argentina has already faced this exact problem
The situation is remarkably familiar because Argentina tried something similar for Maradona. Before the 2002 World Cup, the AFA sought to retire No. 10 as a tribute to the 1986 World Cup winner. FIFA did not allow the number to disappear from Argentina’s tournament squad, and Ariel Ortega ultimately wore it.
That history shows the limits of national-team jersey retirement. Permanently removing No. 10 from FIFA tournament squads would require a rule change or exception.
Tapia had already promised to protect Messi’s number
The desire to retire No. 10 isn’t new. In December 2023, AFA president Claudio Tapia said the federation would not allow another player to wear the number once Messi retired from Argentina. He said the shirt would be retired for life in Messi’s honor.
The statement showed Argentina’s view of its place in history. It also reflected the federation’s desire to give Messi a lasting tribute comparable to the honors associated with Maradona. It reflected the federation’s belief that Messi’s achievements had elevated the shirt beyond its traditional role as a squad identifier.
Messi leaves behind a record that is hard to replace
Messi finished his Argentina career with 207 appearances and 125 goals, making him the country’s record holder in both categories. He also led Argentina to Copa América titles in 2021 and 2024, as well as the 2022 World Cup triumph.
His incredible playmaking and consistency over nearly two decades inspired millions of fans around the world. These historic achievements set a benchmark that future generations of footballers will struggle to match.
Fun fact: Messi became the first player in World Cup history to score in seven consecutive final-tournament matches during the 2026 tournament. FIFA confirmed the milestone during the group stage.
The number already carries more than one legend
Argentina’s No. 10 was never just Messi’s number. Before him came Maradona, whose 1986 World Cup triumph made the shirt one of the most recognizable symbols in Argentine sports. FIFA notes that Argentina even made an exception for Maradona’s preferred No. 10 during an era when World Cup numbers were otherwise assigned alphabetically.
Messi expanded that legacy across more than a decade of elite international football. That connection helps explain why supporters view No. 10 as more than an ordinary squad number.
Fun fact: Messi became the all-time leading World Cup scorer in June 2026, scoring against Austria to move past Miroslav Klose’s previous record of 16 goals.
Argentina will eventually have to hand it over to someone
Argentina has already shown that the shirt can be worn by other players when Messi is unavailable. ESPN documented that Paulo Dybala, Ángel Correa, and Franco Mastantuoni have all worn No. 10 during Messi’s absences in recent years.
Whoever wears No. 10 next will inherit a symbol shaped by Maradona and Messi, but won’t be expected to duplicate either career. The player will face intense scrutiny from supporters and media from the moment the shirt is assigned. Argentina’s challenge will be to honor its history while allowing the next No. 10 to create a legacy of their own.
Messi’s final chapter makes the number even more symbolic
Messi’s retirement came after Argentina reached the 2026 World Cup final, where Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 on July 19. The result denied Messi a second World Cup title, but it did not diminish his achievements with the national team.
His decision on Aug. 31 ended an international career that began with Argentina in 2005. Messi left with 125 goals in 207 appearances, while the AFA and others paid tribute to his contribution to the national team.
FIFA’s rule doesn’t erase Messi’s place in history
The inability to retire No. 10 in FIFA tournaments should not be confused with Argentina’s inability to honor Messi. A jersey can remain in circulation while its most famous wearer remains permanently associated with it.
For Argentina, that may be the practical compromise. FIFA requires the number to exist, while the AFA can preserve its meaning through tributes and history.
Messi’s No. 10, therefore, isn’t disappearing, even if it eventually appears on another Argentine player. The next wearer will step into a number connected first with Maradona and then with Messi, carrying a piece of Argentina’s soccer history that no FIFA regulation can take away.
TL;DR
- Lionel Messi announced his international retirement on Aug. 31, 2026.
- He finished his Argentina career with 207 appearances and 125 international goals.
- FIFA World Cup regulations require tournament squads to allocate numbers 1 through 26 to their players, with No. 1 reserved for a goalkeeper.
- Argentina previously tried to retire Maradona’s No. 10 before the 2002 World Cup, but FIFA did not allow the number to be withdrawn.
- AFA president Claudio Tapia said in 2023 that No. 10 would be retired in Messi’s honor after his international retirement.
- No. 10 must remain available for allocation in FIFA World Cup tournament squads despite Messi’s legacy.
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This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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