Argentina’s Plan to Retire No. 10 Jersey Blocked by FIFA
Lionel Messi is set to make his final appearance for Argentina on Tuesday, 6 October, when the world champions face Benin in a farewell friendly at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires.
The 39-year-old forward announced his retirement from international football following the 2026 FIFA World Cup, bringing an end to an international career that has seen him become Argentina’s record appearance holder and all-time leading scorer.
The Argentina Football Association (AFA) has organised the match as a special farewell for Messi. AFA president Claudio Tapia previously confirmed that the federation had invited the captain to receive what he described as a deserved farewell in front of the home supporters.
Despite the significance of Messi’s No.10 shirt, Argentina will not be able to permanently retire the number for official major tournaments because of FIFA’s squad-numbering regulations.
FIFA tournament rules require participating teams to assign shirt numbers to their squads, meaning Argentina would have to make the No.10 available in future editions of competitions such as the World Cup and Copa América.
However, Argentina can leave the shirt unused in certain international matches outside major tournaments. The No.10 was not assigned for Argentina’s recent friendly against Bolivia, and it is also expected to remain vacant against Burkina Faso before Messi’s farewell.
Messi has worn Argentina’s No.10 since 2009, following Juan Román Riquelme’s international retirement. The shirt has previously been associated with some of the country’s greatest players, including Diego Maradona and Mario Kempes.
Messi’s final appearance against Benin will therefore mark the end of an era for Argentina, even though the iconic No.10 shirt will eventually return to the squad.
About the Author
Karrel Hamutenya is a senior sports journalist at The Updated World, with more than five years of experience reporting on local sport in Namibia and international sports news.His work covers match reports, transfer updates, and exclusive interviews with athletes, providing fans with deeper insight into the game and the people behind it.
