Lionel Messi's iconic No. 10 shirt will not be permanently retired by the Argentina national team.
As reported by İdman.Biz, Argentine Football Association (AFA) president Claudio Tapia has said he wanted the No. 10 shirt to no longer be used following the legendary forward's departure from international football. However, FIFA regulations prevent Argentina from permanently retiring the number at major international tournaments.
Under FIFA rules for such competitions, every player in a squad must be assigned a number in sequence. For example, if a team registers 26 players, their shirt numbers must run from 1 to 26.
As a result, Argentina will not be able to leave the No. 10 shirt vacant at official tournaments.
However, La Albiceleste could choose not to use the number in friendly matches, where different squad-number regulations can apply.
The question of who will inherit one of the most iconic shirts in international football is expected to attract considerable attention. Several players have already worn the No. 10 in Messi's absence over the years, but no permanent successor has yet been officially named.
Messi is set to make his final appearance for Argentina against Benin on October 7.
