Argentina to Retire Messi’s No. 10 for September and October Fixtures

Argentina will leave the No. 10 shirt unassigned for its September and October fixtures as Lionel Messi approaches his final appearance for the national team. Messi is due to make his 208th Argentina appearance against Benin at Estadio Monumental on October 6, 2026, bringing an exceptional international career to a close in Buenos Aires.

Key takeaways

• No Argentina player will wear No. 10 in the matches against Bolivia and Burkina Faso.
• Messi will miss the September 30 meeting with Bolivia in Cordoba and the October 3 home fixture against Burkina Faso.
• Argentina have reserved Messi’s last international outing for the Benin match at River Plate’s Estadio Monumental.
• Coach Lionel Scaloni has selected Cristian “Cuti” Romero as the team’s next captain.
• The Argentine Football Association will consider the future of the No. 10 only after Messi has retired from international football.

No. 10 held back for Messi farewell

Scaloni confirmed that the famous shirt will remain vacant until Messi has played his farewell match. The decision applies to the upcoming friendlies, where Argentina are permitted greater flexibility over squad numbering than they would have at a major FIFA tournament, when consecutive numbers are generally required.

Messi announced in late August 2026 that his international career would end after this final period with Argentina. The 39-year-old has been at the centre of the country’s rise to the summit of the international game and is an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner.

The AFA had already indicated that the shirt’s future would require special consideration. In 2024, president Claudio Tapia raised the possibility of retiring No. 10 once Messi’s Argentina playing career was complete. For now, the federation’s tribute is to ensure that nobody wears it before his final cap.

The empty number also points towards Argentina’s next cycle, beginning in 2027, rather than an immediate replacement for a player whose influence has defined the side for more than a generation.

Benin match set to close Messi era

Argentina’s final international window with Messi on the books begins in Cordoba against Bolivia on September 30, followed by Burkina Faso’s visit on October 3. Messi will not feature in either match, with the plan designed to preserve him for the occasion against Benin three days later.

The October 6 fixture at Estadio Monumental will give a Buenos Aires crowd the chance to see Messi represent Argentina one last time. It is expected to be his 208th senior appearance for the Albiceleste.

Scaloni has also begun setting out the leadership structure for the period leading towards the 2030 World Cup. Romero, the 28-year-old central defender, has been chosen to take over the captaincy once Messi steps aside, with the coaching staff viewing him as the natural figure to lead the established core of the squad.