Argentina Leave Messi’s Iconic No. 10 Shirt Vacant for November Friendlies

Argentina will leave Lionel Messi’s iconic No. 10 shirt unassigned during their upcoming international friendlies against Uruguay and Costa Rica following the forward’s retirement from the national team.

Head coach Lionel Scaloni and his technical staff have decided that no player will wear the number during the November international window, allowing the shirt previously worn by Messi for almost two decades to remain vacant.

The decision is possible because FIFA friendly matches do not require teams to allocate squad numbers consecutively from one to 11. Argentina can therefore omit the number without violating competition regulations.

The team will face Uruguay on November 13 at La Bombonera in Buenos Aires before taking on Costa Rica on November 17 at the Mario Alberto Kempes Stadium in Córdoba.

According to reports, the coaching staff will defer the decision on who inherits the shirt until Argentina resume their South American World Cup qualifying campaign in 2027.

Como midfielder Nico Paz has emerged as one of the leading candidates for the prestigious number following his impressive performances for the national team.

The 22-year-old has scored in each of Argentina’s three recent friendly matches against Bolivia, Burkina Faso and Benin, strengthening his case to take over the shirt.

His teammate, Valentín Barco, has also expressed support for him, saying he would like to see the Como midfielder wear the number.

Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister and Chelsea's Enzo Fernández are also among the players being considered, while Franco Mastantuono remains another possible contender. Mastantuono has previously worn Messi’s No. 10 in an official international match against Ecuador.

Messi’s departure marks the end of a significant chapter in Argentine football. The 39-year-old ended his international career after more than two decades representing his country, having captained Argentina to the 2022 FIFA World Cup and Copa América titles in 2021 and 2024.

He made his farewell appearance against Benin on October 6, scoring in Argentina’s 3-0 victory.

Although he has retired from international football, Messi continues his club career with Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.