On August 31, 2024, Messi announced on social media that he had decided to retire from the Argentina national team. Regarding whether Messi's No. 10 jersey could be permanently retired from Argentina's squad, Argentine newspaper Olé reported that the Argentine Football Association (AFA) could organize a ceremony to retire Messi's No. 10, but FIFA regulations prevent the number from disappearing entirely from official competitions.

Messi's No. 10 jersey could receive a permanent retirement ceremony similar to Manu Ginobili's at the Spurs, and be displayed at the Monumental Stadium, Marcelo Bielsa Stadium, or AFA headquarters.

But the question remains: Could the AFA make the No. 10 completely unavailable for FIFA-sanctioned competitions? What happened with Maradona's No. 10 back then? The answers are all here.

In a ceremony held in March 2019, Manu Ginobili's No. 20 jersey was retired to the rafters of the San Antonio Spurs' home arena, AT&T Center, honoring the star who helped the team win four NBA championships and signifying that the number would no longer be used.

In basketball, it is common practice for teams to retire a player's number after they leave a significant legacy. No one will wear that number again, and the jersey hangs high in the arena as part of the team's history.

Could Messi's No. 10 with Argentina receive similar treatment?

Who deserves this honor more than him?

The answer is both yes and no.

The AFA could certainly organize a ceremony to honor the captain, symbolically retiring Messi's No. 10 that he wore for so many years, and display it in a special location.

The venue could be the Monumental Stadium, where Messi experienced many important moments with Argentina; the Marcelo Bielsa Stadium in his hometown of Rosario; or even AFA headquarters, a museum, or other locations.

The jersey could be displayed there permanently, becoming a symbol of one of the two greatest No. 10s in Argentine football history.

But there is one thing the AFA cannot decide: making the No. 10 completely unavailable for FIFA-sanctioned competitions.

The reason lies in competition regulations.

Take the 2026 World Cup as an example. National teams must assign numbers 1 through 26 to their squad players. FIFA stipulates that all 26 players must use this range, with No. 1 reserved for the goalkeeper. In Argentina's squad, Juan Musso wears No. 1, while Damián Martínez continues to use No. 23.

Therefore, unless the relevant regulations change, Argentina can honor Messi by retiring his jersey, but in competitions like the World Cup, they cannot have a squad without someone wearing No. 10.

Maradona's No. 10 Was Once Attempted to Be Retired

Argentine football actually has a similar precedent, and coincidentally, this issue also involves another great owner of this number—Diego Maradona.

On November 10, 2001, after Maradona's farewell match, AFA president Julio Grondona decided to retire the national team's No. 10 to honor Maradona.

The idea was that no player would wear No. 10 afterward. The AFA even submitted a request to FIFA, hoping to receive an exception for the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan.

The issue was that World Cup teams at that time had to assign consecutive numbers to their players. Argentina wanted players to use numbers 1 through 24, with No. 10 eliminated entirely. In one preliminary squad list, goalkeeper Roberto Bonano was even listed as No. 24.

But FIFA rejected the request. FIFA emphasized that jersey numbers must comply with the relevant regulations. FIFA president Joseph Blatter even joked that No. 10 could be given to Bonano, because it would be "a different No. 10 using his hands," referring to Maradona's famous "Hand of God."

Ultimately, Argentina's No. 10, which was initially retired, had to return to the field. It was worn by Ariel Ortega.

In the end, FIFA prevented Argentina from officially retiring the national team's No. 10.

But in hindsight, this decision ultimately led to a nearly perfect outcome: if the No. 10 had disappeared in 2002, Messi might never have inherited the number that once belonged to Maradona.

Messi first played for Argentina in 2005. Over time, he became the new owner of No. 10.

He wore the No. 10 for many years, winning the Copa América, the CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup, and most importantly, lifting the World Cup trophy in Qatar.

What Should Be Done With Messi's No. 10?

Now that Messi's international career has ended, the answer could be straightforward: give the jersey an honorary status, organize a retirement ceremony, and then, like Ginobili in San Antonio, symbolically retire it to the rafters.

The venue could be decided by the AFA.

However, for the next World Cup, there will still be someone who must wear No. 10.

So, who is the most fitting person to wear this jersey?

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