The Future of Argentina's Number 10 Jersey

In the world of club football, retiring a jersey number is a common and prestigious way to honor a player who has defined an era.

We have seen Italian giants Napoli permanently withdraw the number 10 to honor Diego Maradona, while AC Milan did the same for defensive stalwarts Paolo Maldini and Franco Baresi.

More recently, Liverpool took the step to immortalize the number 20 following the tragic death of Diogo Jota in 2025. Even within our own borders, the Ghanaian football scene has embraced this tradition; Asante Kotoko retired the number 4 jersey in 2017 as a powerful tribute to the legendary midfielder Stephen Oduro.

However, what works for the Porcupine Warriors or Napoli does not apply to the Argentine national team due to strict mandates from the world's football governing body.

According to the official FIFA rulebook, every nation participating in major tournaments must adhere to a rigid numbering system. Specifically, for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, regulations required every competing nation to assign squad numbers consecutively from 1 to 26.

This mandatory system effectively removes the option for any national team to withdraw a specific number from circulation, regardless of the legend who wore it.

We saw a similar situation arise in Ghana when the public debated retiring the Black Stars' number 7 shirt to honor Christian Atsu following his tragic passing in 2023; ultimately, FIFA's uniform application of tournament regulations overrides local sentiment and national desires.

Because the number 10 must remain in play, the conversation in Argentina has shifted from retirement to succession. The jersey carries an immense "generational significance," having been passed from Diego Maradona to Lionel Messi, and now the search is on for the next heir.

One name that has frequently emerged in Argentine football circles is Nico Paz. The creative midfielder, currently making waves at Como, has been cited as a leading candidate to inherit the famous shirt if manager Lionel Scaloni continues his tenure.

While the Argentine Football Association has yet to make an official announcement, the weight of expectation on whoever takes the number will be historic.

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Even as Messi continues to spark the "GOAT debate" on social media—recently going viral with a cryptic Instagram video featuring a "three-word message" on a receipt—the machinery of international football ensures that his iconic number will eventually be worn by another.

While the sentiment to retire Argentina's number 10 is shared by millions, FIFA's strict tournament regulations ensure that the jersey will remain on the pitch for the next generation of talent. From the legendary status of Maradona to the modern miracles of Messi, the shirt represents a continuous cycle of greatness that cannot be paused by bureaucracy.