Argentina’s plan to permanently retire Lionel Messi’s iconic No. 10 shirt has been blocked by FIFA regulations governing squad numbers at major international tournaments.

The Argentine Football Association reportedly wanted to retire the number as a tribute to Messi following his decision to end his international career after more than two decades with the national team.

Messi announced his international retirement on August 31. The 39-year-old is expected to make his farewell appearance for Argentina on October 6, when the world champions face Benin in a friendly at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires. 

Messi has made 207 appearances for Argentina and scored 125 goals, wearing the No. 10 shirt for most of his international career. He was also part of Argentina’s 2022 World Cup-winning team and the side that reached the 2026 World Cup final. 

However, FIFA regulations require teams competing in major international final tournaments to assign squad numbers from 1 to 26. This means Argentina cannot permanently leave the No. 10 shirt vacant during competitions such as the World Cup and Copa América. 

Argentina had previously faced a similar situation when it sought to retire Diego Maradona’s No. 10 shirt ahead of the 2002 World Cup. FIFA rejected the request, requiring the number to be assigned to a player.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni has yet to decide who will inherit Messi’s famous shirt. He said the number could remain unused for the immediate period following Messi’s farewell, but a successor would eventually have to be named for FIFA tournaments. 

Reports have identified Nico Paz as a leading candidate to take over the shirt, although no official decision has been announced.