Argentina To Retire No. 10 Jersey After Lionel Messi? A FIFA Rule Stands In The Way
Argentine superstar Lionel Messi left the world absolutely stunned after he announced his retirement from international football.
Argentine superstar Lionel Messi left the world absolutely stunned after he announced his retirement from international football. As a result, Argentina's mythical No. 10 jersey, which was once worn by Diego Maradona as well, remains officially vacant. There have been many calls to officially retire the jersey number after Messi's departure but that will be extremely difficult due to one specific FIFA rule. National teams have to use designated numbers in consecutive order for every player when it comes to international tournaments. During the FIFA World Cup 2026, every team had a 26-player squad and the only jersey numbers that could be used were 1 through 26. However, this rule only applies to official FIFA competitions.
As a result, Argentina can decide to leave the No. 10 jersey vacant for their friendly matches. However, when it comes to the 2028 Copa America or the FIFA World Cup 2030, it is extremely unlikely that FIFA will allow Argentina to do the same.
Incidentally, Argentina faced a similar situation when Maradona announced his retirement. In 2001, the then Argentina Football Association (AFA) president Julio Grondona agreed to retire the number in honour of the legendary footballer.
However, FIFA did not allow it and Ariel Ortega wore the iconic jersey at the FIFA World Cup 2002.
Messi announced his retirement from the national team on Monday after a 21-year career, leaving behind a legacy of 125 goals and the 2022 World Cup title. As captain and talisman, his departure raises big questions about the future of a team that reached the World Cup final just six weeks ago.
“I gave it my all; I have nothing left to give,” Messi wrote in an Instagram post. “Besides, there are young players coming up who deserve to be here.”
Messi made his senior debut in 2005, went on to become Argentina's all-time leading scorer, and appeared in six World Cups. He holds the records for both the most games played (34) and most victories (23) in the history of the tournament.
At 39, the end of Messi's international career was imminent. Yet, the official confirmation struck a emotional chord with teammates and fans alike — especially the younger generation who grew up watching him wear the Albiceleste colours.
(With AP inputs)
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