FIFA Rules Prevent Argentina from Retiring Lionel Messi’s Iconic No. 10 Shirt

Argentina’s attempt to permanently retire Lionel Messi’s iconic No. 10 shirt has encountered a regulatory obstacle from FIFA, with tournament rules requiring national teams to assign squad numbers during major international competitions.

The development follows reports that the Argentine Football Association (AFA) wanted to honour Messi, who has ended his international career, by taking the No. 10 shirt out of circulation. GOAL reported that FIFA regulations make such a permanent retirement impossible for Argentina in competitions governed by the world football body.

Messi, widely regarded as one of the defining figures in modern football, confirmed his departure from the Argentina national team in August 2026 after more than two decades representing the country. FIFA reported that the 39-year-old ended his international career as a 2022 World Cup winner, a two-time Copa América champion and a 2026 World Cup finalist.

The No. 10 shirt has been closely associated with Messi throughout his international career. FIFA’s official records for the 2026 World Cup listed Messi as Argentina’s No. 10, underlining the number’s continuing place within the national team’s tournament squad structure.

The issue is not specifically a regulation targeting Messi or Argentina. Rather, it stems from FIFA’s squad-number requirements for major competitions. FIFA’s published 2026 World Cup regulations specify that participating teams must allocate numbers to their players, while FIFA’s tournament information states that the 2026 World Cup squad numbers ran from 1 to 26, with No. 1 reserved for a goalkeeper.

That requirement means Argentina cannot permanently remove No. 10 from its tournament squad numbering system. In practical terms, the AFA may choose to leave the number unused for certain non-tournament fixtures, but it would have to assign the number to a player when FIFA competition regulations require a complete sequence.

The situation has historical precedent. Argentina previously attempted to retire the No. 10 shirt in honour of Diego Maradona ahead of the 2002 FIFA World Cup. FIFA rejected the proposed numbering arrangement, and Argentina eventually assigned the number to Ariel Ortega. The episode established a precedent for the difficulty national teams face when attempting to retire shirt numbers in FIFA competitions.

The current situation therefore does not prevent Argentina from commemorating Messi in other ways. The AFA can continue to honour his contribution through ceremonial tributes, commemorative events and decisions concerning the use of the number during friendly matches where tournament numbering requirements do not apply in the same manner.

Argentina has deliberately kept the No. 10 vacant around Messi’s farewell period. GOAL reported that the AFA planned a special farewell for Messi, including his final appearance for the national team against Benin at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires.

Messi’s international legacy is substantial. FIFA records him as Argentina’s captain and one of the central figures of the country’s successful modern era, including the 2022 World Cup triumph and Copa América victories in 2021 and 2024. His departure consequently represents a major transition for the national team, even though Argentina’s No. 10 shirt will remain part of its official tournament numbering system.

For Argentine football, the regulatory position creates a distinction between symbolic retirement and formal tournament eligibility. While the AFA may preserve the number’s significance and temporarily leave it unused, FIFA competition rules mean that No. 10 cannot simply disappear from Argentina’s tournament squad list.

The number Messi made globally recognisable will therefore continue to exist within Argentina’s football structure, even as the player who carried it for much of his international career moves into retirement.

FIFA regulations prevent Argentina from permanently retiring Lionel Messi’s iconic No. 10 shirt for major international tournaments, despite plans to honour the legendary forward after his international retirement.