Lionel Messi’s final appearance for Argentina will not mark the end of the iconic number 10 shirt, with Fifa regulations requiring the nation to keep it available for major international tournaments.
The 39-year-old is set to win his 208th and final cap for Argentina against Benin on Tuesday at the Monumental in Buenos Aires.
Messi has worn number 10 since 2009 and leaves behind a historic international career in which he led Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title and two Copa America triumphs.
Claudio Tapia, president of the Argentine Football Association, had expressed a desire to retire the shirt as a tribute to Messi and ensure that no other player wore it after his international retirement, according to French website Foot Mercato.
However, that plan conflicts with Fifa regulations governing major international competitions. National teams taking part in tournaments such as the World Cup and Copa America must assign squad numbers from 1 to 26.
As a result, Argentina would be unable to exclude number 10 from its squad list at either competition.
The team could leave the shirt vacant for some friendly matches, but it would have to be allocated to one of its players when Argentina competes in an official international tournament, Foot Mercato reported.
That means the number 10 shirt will return for Argentina at the 2030 World Cup and the Copa America, although it will be worn by a different player.
Whoever inherits it will take on a number that has been closely associated with one of the greatest figures in Argentine football.
