FIFA Denies Argentina's Request to Retire Messi's No. 10 Shirt

FIFA has blocked the Argentine Football Association's plan to permanently retire Lionel Messi's iconic No. 10 shirt after his announcement on August 31 regarding his retirement from international football. Messi, who has made 207 appearances and scored 125 goals for Argentina, is expected to play his farewell match on October 6 against Benin at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires.

FIFA regulations stipulate that teams must use squad numbers from 1 to 26 during international tournaments, preventing Argentina from retiring the No. 10 shirt. Argentina's head coach, Lionel Scaloni, stated that they are not obliged to assign the number immediately and will wait until after Messi's farewell match to make a decision.

ESPN Argentina reporter Federico Bueno indicated that Nico Paz, a 22-year-old attacking midfielder who previously played for Real Madrid and currently plays for Como, is the leading candidate to inherit the shirt if Scaloni extends his contract as head coach.