What will Argentina do with the famous number 10 jersey?
- Argentina could not leave Maradona’s number 10 jersey vacant
- FIFA rules require teams to keep jersey numbers 1 through 26
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What will happen to Lionel Messi’s number 10 jersey after his retirement? Some fans believe the jersey of the Argentine football magician deserves special honor. Therefore, they believe it would be better to retire the iconic number 10 jersey rather than give it to someone else.
Can the number 10 be retired?
The Argentine Football Association once tried to retire Diego Maradona’s number 10 jersey. After the Argentine football legend retired, the association decided to leave the number 10 jersey vacant at the 2002 World Cup. FIFA did not agree. Its rules require every team to have jersey numbers from 1 through 26. On that occasion, the iconic jersey went to Ariel Ortega.
The jersey can be left unused in exhibition matches or friendly matches. However, Argentina will have to take the field wearing the number 10 jersey at the FIFA World Cup and Copa America.
Paraguay banned the Messi 10 jersey
The incident took place during the last World Cup qualifying campaign. Paraguay was set to play Argentina on home soil. No spectator wearing a “Messi 10” jersey was allowed to enter the stadium for the match. Argentina’s magician was at the height of his fame after winning the Qatar World Cup. His influence had spread across every country.
That was what Paraguay feared. Fans could enter wearing Messi’s club jersey but Paraguay banned the sky blue and white Argentina jersey inside the stadium. The Paraguayan Football Association asked people to view the decision not as an anti-Messi campaign but as a way of gaining “home advantage.”
Who are the contenders for the iconic jersey?
Finding someone of Messi’s caliber is simply not possible. Therefore, several names are being discussed in the Argentine media as potential successors to his jersey. Nico Paz, Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez and Thiago Almada are among those being discussed. The AFA has not yet made a final decision on the matter.
However, to honor Messi’s jersey, the AFA has decided to briefly stop matches involving Argentina’s men’s and women’s teams during the 10th minute. At that time, the players and spectators will stand and applaud Messi as a tribute. Before the start of the match, a two-minute video about the magician will be shown on the stadium’s big screen. At the end, the message “We will miss you” will appear.
