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Whenever Lionel Messi retires from the Argentina national team, Argentine Football Association president Claudio Tapia said he intends to make sure no player ever wears the No. 10 shirt again for the Albiceleste.

“When Messi retires from the national team, we will not allow anyone else to wear the number 10 after him,” Tapia said at a press conference over the weekend. “This number 10 will be retired for life in his honor. It’s the least we can do for him.”

Though retiring jersey numbers at the club level is fairly normal, it’s less common in the international game — and for good reason.

FIFA regulations require players to wear all numbers from one to 23 during official competitions. In other words, if Argentina is committed to retiring the No. 10, then it would have to play every tournament after Messi’s retirement missing one player on the roster.

There’s also the question of whether the most iconic jersey number in the game really belongs to any single player — even one as great as Messi.

Diego Maradona made the No. 10 shirt iconic with Argentina, and subsequent playmakers like Juan Román Riquelme followed in his footsteps until Messi made the number his own. If post-Maradona players could aspire to become Argentina’s No. 10, why couldn’t post-Messi players do the same?

Argentina actually attempted to retire the No. 10 shirt in Maradona’s honor more than 20 years ago, a request that was rejected by FIFA. It’s hard to imagine this time around will be any different.

Messi cemented his status as an Argentine legend in 2022, winning the World Cup to go along with the Copa América title he won the previous year. Though he’ll turn 37 this year, Messi is still very much central to the Argentina national team’s plans at the current moment.

Last month, the Inter Miami star said he was taking his national team career day by day and though he’s not closing the door on another World Cup in 2026, he is only focused on the 2024 Copa América in the United States.

After previously claiming the 2022 World Cup would be his last, though, Messi is now pushing for 2026 and a sixth World Cup appearance.

“I’m going to arrive at an age that I normally wouldn’t be able to play in the World Cup. I said that I don’t think I’m going to be there,” he told Star+. “It seemed that after the World Cup I was retiring and quite the opposite — now I want to be there more than ever.”



https://prosoccerwire.usatoday.com/2024/01/02/messi-argentina-retire-number-10-jersey/

I will challenge that decision in supreme court

Like seriously

Who should they to they retire the shirt for?


Diego Maradona or Lionel Messi


Let's talk

Damnnn niggar
Messi my niggar

The little boy from rosario argentina santa fe!
on behalf of every little boy wearing his shirt!
messi on a million backs!
messi for a million flash bulbs!
messi crowned his Stella career

He was beautiful

He was the point of difference
He has always been the point of difference

Unparalleled
And maybe today there will of course always be those who argue
Always be those who debate and the debate can rage on if you like

But has He falls in love with the objects in the world that is heart most desired
It is hard to escape the supposition that he has rendered himself today
the "GREATEST OF ALL TIME"

Good. if they retire it for him I think he deserve it nevertheless that is their decision not retention of jersey in the whole world.
Messi Argentina different from our Messi here in Nigeria.

robosky02:
Like seriously

Who should they to they retire the shirt for?


Diego Maradona or Lionel Messi


Let's talk

Lionel Messi deserves it more .

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I prefer Ronaldo to Messi

Messi the god Of Football😍😍😍😍...... Who will retire de oda one dat is in Walahi-talahi FC scoring cheap penalties jersey wen he retires?🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

That's not enough. The FA President should donate his wife and 2 of his daughters to the ekuke dwarf.

Respect to the highest level

hisexcellency34:
Will Portugal do same for Ronaldo?

Y should dey do dat? Did de fraud win Dem dis below??🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Will Portugal do same for Ronaldo?

atiku4President:
I will challenge that decision in supreme court

Deify a man because he can kick a round leather object.

No doubt
The unique goat

atiku4President:
I will challenge that decision in supreme court

Diego Maradona made the No. 10 shirt iconic with Argentina,

So why retire it for messi

robosky02:
Like seriously

Who should they to they retire the shirt for?


Diego Maradona or Lionel Messi


Let's talk

The shirt should never be retired

This is football not basketball

Let someone else fill in the mighty shoes

If they retired the shirt after Maradona, would Messi have worn it?

I still don't understand how you'll watch Messi play football and say someone else is better than him... Playmaking, goal scoring, dribbling... He plays from d midfield while d so called hardworking marchant camps in d 18 yrd box

Wotoporiously speaking

The goat of the universe

Nice one, Lionel Messi.

I support the motion.

Let others hustle for their own history.

3ice9ce:
That's not enough. The FA President should donate his wife and 2 of his daughters to the ekuke dwarf.

Bitter soul

Ok nah

Kimcutie:
Lionel Messi deserves it more .

How one created the no 10 Jersey
The master