Not even for the king! FIFA rules block Argentina from retiring Messi's No.10 shirt
Argentina can freeze it, but they cannot retire it. As Lionel Messi prepares for his emotional farewell against Benin on October 6, the Argentine Football Association has discovered that the most iconic shirt number in football cannot be permanently withdrawn from circulation: FIFA regulations stand in the way.
Details: AFA president Claudio Tapia has previously spoken of his desire to retire the No.10 in Messi's honour once the captain bows out at the Monumental. The problem is FIFA's tournament regulations: squads at the World Cup, the Copa América and other official competitions must be numbered in an unbroken sequence, from 1 up to the maximum squad size, with no gaps and no missing digits. Argentina know this all too well: ahead of the 2002 World Cup, the federation tried to retire the No.10 to honour Diego Maradona, only for FIFA to reject the squad list; the number was eventually handed to Ariel Ortega. A workaround does exist, but a partial one: in friendly matches, national associations enjoy far greater freedom with numbering, so the AFA can simply leave the No.10 off the matchday squad list in non-competitive fixtures. Whenever a competitive tournament comes around, though, someone will be obliged to wear it.
The current freeze is only the beginning of the story. The No.10 has already been reserved for Messi's final appearance in Buenos Aires, with a special commemorative version of the shirt reportedly prepared for the night, and ticket prices for the farewell have reached record levels. But the identity of the number's next permanent wearer is already the subject of intense debate in Argentina. Whoever takes it over in 2027 will inherit the heaviest shirt in world football, one worn by Maradona and Messi, two of the greatest players of all time.
It's worth noting that the consecutive numbering rule exists primarily for administrative reasons: referees, officials and automated broadcast tracking systems rely on unbroken sequences to log substitutions, goals, VAR checks and disciplinary actions. There is a small consolation for the AFA: outside official competitions, the federation is free to keep the No.10 unworn whenever circumstances allow, meaning Messi's number can stay untouched in friendly windows. Still, the regulation ensures that Argentina's tribute to its captain will remain symbolic rather than permanent, exactly as happened with Maradona's shirt more than two decades ago.
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Miguel Solomons
Dailysports's expert
