The Argentina national team will not assign the mythical jersey bearing the number 10 to any of its players in its upcoming matches against Bolivia, Burkina Faso and Benin, as head coach Lionel Scaloni prepares to manage the transition that will follow Lionel Messi’s international retirement.
Speaking to FIFA’s official channels, Scaloni confirmed that this mythical number would remain vacant during the current international window, until Messi makes his last appearance for the Albiceleste.
“No one will wear the number 10 jersey in these matches. We are not obliged to give it to anyone… We will wait for Leo’s match and then we will see what happens. The idea is that the jersey belongs to a single player,” Scaloni said.
This decision ensures that the number will remain vacant during the friendly matches against Bolivia and Burkina Faso, before Messi wears it for a final time in his official farewell match against Benin, at the Estadio Monumental, on October 6.
The favorites: Paz, Mastantuono, and the confirmed candidates.
The imminent vacancy has sparked a wide-ranging debate about the identity of the player who will inherit the most prestigious number in Argentine football. At the forefront of the new generation is the 22-year-old attacking midfielder Nico Paz, whose technical elegance and vision between the lines have already earned Messi’s praise, who said:
“He has a great deal of quality and I hope he will continue to progress.”
Another leading candidate: the 19-year-old phenom Franco Mastantuono. Renowned for his shooting power, his incisive dribbles, and his refined left foot, Mastantuono embodies the new wave of attacking talents.
Asked about the possibility of seeing the two creative midfielders operate together, Scaloni answered:
“They can play together. Usually, one of them starts, but they can play together.”
Beyond the young prospects, the shortlist also includes senior members of the team. Alexis Mac Allister, who currently wears the number 10 at Liverpool, appears as a natural and experienced candidate, alongside Thiago Almada and Enzo Fernández.
The weight of an Argentine institution
In Argentine football culture, the number 10 jersey carries an unrivaled historical weight. It is intrinsically linked to the nation’s three World Cup triumphs: worn by Mario Kempes during the home victory in 1978, immortalized by Diego Maradona in Mexico in 1986, and elevated to the status of a contemporary myth by Messi in Qatar in 2022.
Messi wore this number without interruption from 2009 until his final World Cup campaign, in 2026. The passing of the jersey marks the definitive end of a 17-year era and the dawn of a whole new cycle for the world champions.
Protecting the new generation
Scaloni’s decision to temporarily retire the number 10 during this gathering constitutes a model of humane management. Assigning the number to a young hopeful such as Paz or Mastantuono while Messi remains technically part of the squad would place unbearable psychological pressure on young shoulders.
While awaiting the farewell match against Benin, Scaloni protects his young creative midfielders from immediate comparisons, allowing the team to serenely pay tribute to the final chapter of Messi’s career before entrusting the immense weight of the jersey to his rightful heir in the long term.
