Who will inherit Argentina’s iconic No. 10 shirt after Messi?

Wion - World News
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5 Video Views·Sep 3, 2026
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Lionel Messi has announced his international retirement and the big question on every football fan's mind right now is who will wear the iconic number 10 jersey for Argentina?
And well, according to media reports, head coach Lionel Scaloni has already identified Messi's successor.
And according to ESPN, Lionel Scaloni has chosen former Real Madrid attacking midfielder Nicolas Paz as the man to inherit Lionel Messi's number 10 shirt.
The 21-year-old playmaker, who plays for Italian side FC Como, had previously worn the number 18 jersey during his first 11 appearances for Argentina.
Paz wears the number 10 shirt for his club side and has excelled in the Italian league.
However, the decision hinges entirely on whether the 2022 World Cup winning coach extends his contract through to 2030.
Scaloni's current contract ends in December 2026.
A few jerseys in world football carry as much weight as the Argentina number 10 shirt.
It carries a legacy built on genius, pressure and World Cup glory.
The standard was set by Diego Maradona, who led the country to World Cup glory in 1986 and turned the number 10 into a symbol of footballing greatness.
Maradona's influence on Argentina was so great that the Argentina Football Association once tried to retire the shirt in his honor.
However, FIFA rejected the request ahead of the 2002 World Cup, requiring squads to use all numbers from 1 to 23.
And that turned out to be a blessing for Argentina as Messi inherited the number 10 shirt.
And the rest is history.
After years of international heartbreak, Messi ended Argentina's trophy drought with Copa America glory in 2021, before leading the nation to the 2022 World Cup title.
He also went on to become Argentina's all-time leading goalscorer and most-capped player.
