Lionel Messi has brought his career with the Argentina national team to an end, leaving as a World Cup champion and the second-highest goalscorer in World Cup history.
Throughout his career, Messi has often been described as a “magician” of football, but his departure from the national team leaves an enormous void, not only within the squad but also when it comes to the legendary No. 10 shirt.
Argentina’s captain announced this week that he was retiring from international football, stating that he was stepping away after giving everything for the famous blue-and-white shirt and that he had nothing more to offer on the pitch.
After 207 appearances for his country and an extraordinary international career, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner leaves behind an incredible legacy.
But alongside his departure comes the big question: who will inherit the No. 10 shirt, which before Messi had also been made famous by another Argentine legend, Diego Maradona?
According to reports from Argentina, the national team’s hierarchy have already identified the player expected to take the number, but there is one important condition.
ESPN Argentina reports that the future of the iconic No. 10 shirt is directly linked to the future of manager Lionel Scaloni.
Scaloni guided Argentina to World Cup glory at Qatar 2022, while in 2026 he led the team all the way to the final.
The 48-year-old has been in charge of the national team since 2018 and is expected to negotiate an extension to his contract in the coming months.
If Scaloni reaches a new agreement with the Argentine Football Association, Lionel Messi’s No. 10 shirt is expected to be handed to 21-year-old attacking midfielder Nico Paz.
Nico Paz Seen as Messi’s Successor
Paz was born in Spain but is the son of a former Argentine international footballer.
He is a product of Real Madrid’s academy and progressed through Castilla before moving to Como in Serie A in 2024, having made eight appearances for the Madrid club’s first team.
The Argentine talent is regarded as one of the most promising young attacking midfielders in European football.
Under Cesc Fabregas at Como, Paz has produced impressive performances and attracted increasing attention.
He has made 11 appearances for Argentina, while in Italian football he has scored 19 goals in 77 appearances across all competitions.
Since leaving Real Madrid, the possibility of a return to the Santiago Bernabéu has been discussed during almost every transfer window.
Although Paz’s technical and creative profile appears well suited to playing an important role in a new-look Argentina side, inheriting the No. 10 shirt would bring enormous pressure.
After all, the shirt is being left vacant by one of the greatest footballers in the history of the sport.
Messi’s Emotional Message After Retirement
In his statement announcing his departure from the national team, published just two days after Argentina’s defeat to Spain in the World Cup final in New Jersey, Messi admitted that the decision had been extremely difficult.
“It is a decision that has hurt me and continues to hurt me deeply, but I understand that the time has come,” Messi said.
He stressed that throughout his career he had given his all for the national team, not only during the recent years when Argentina won the biggest trophies, but also during the more difficult periods.
Messi said he had always fought for the Argentina shirt, with the aim of bringing joy to the fans and making them proud of their national team.
“Time passes, chapters come to an end, and this is a chapter that hurts me deeply. I love it, I have loved it, and I will always love the fact that I have been part of the national team.
I have given everything I had. I have nothing more to give and, besides that, some very good young footballers are coming through who deserve to be here,” Messi concluded.
