Argentina is unable to permanently retire Lionel Messi’s No. 10 shirt after his international retirement because FIFA regulations restrict how certain squad numbers can be handled in major competitions. Both outlets explain that the rules prevent the number from being permanently omitted from tournament rosters, even as teams may seek to honor players in other ways.
The issue is linked to an earlier precedent involving Diego Maradona. After Maradona’s retirement, Argentina’s attempt to retire the shirt number was also rejected under the same or similar FIFA constraints. With Messi’s international career ending, Argentina now faces the same limitation, meaning the No. 10 cannot remain permanently unused and would have to be reassigned to future players in line with FIFA tournament requirements.
While Messi’s retirement ends his international appearances, the number’s future in tournament squads is governed by FIFA’s squad-number framework. The outlets differ mainly in emphasis—one focuses on FIFA’s specific regulatory reason, while the other highlights the direct historical comparison to Argentina’s unsuccessful Maradona-related request.
