Argentina appear ready to treat the No. 10 shirt less like a football jersey and more like a national museum exhibit, with the iconic number set for a temporary absence after Lionel Messi’s final appearance for the Albiceleste. According to information reaching OGM News FC, no other Argentina player will wear the No. 10 shirt in the immediate games surrounding the transition, with Messi scheduled to wear it one final time against Benin at Buenos Aires’ Monumental Stadium on October 6. The decision adds another emotional chapter to a farewell that is already beginning to look more like a national ceremony than an ordinary friendly.
Messi Gets One Last No. 10 Appointment Before Argentina Turns the Page
Messi announced his international retirement on August 31 after more than two decades with Argentina, bringing an extraordinary chapter to a close. FIFA has confirmed that the 39-year-old will make a final appearance against Benin on October 6 at the Monumental, following an invitation from Argentine Football Association president Claudio Tapia for the captain to receive what Argentina considers a deserved farewell.
The No. 10 therefore has one final appointment with its most famous occupant. Messi has already revealed a special commemorative Argentina shirt for the occasion, featuring his name and No. 10 in gold. In classic football fashion, the shirt apparently understands the assignment: one last match, one last number, and absolutely no interest in becoming available for auditions just yet.
Argentina’s New Era Can Wait While the No. 10 Takes Its Final Bow
The reported decision to keep the No. 10 shirt away from other players during this transition gives Argentina’s rebuilding process an unusually symbolic pause. The national team has already begun preparing for life beyond Messi, but the farewell against Benin means the old era gets one final evening at the Monumental before the next generation is asked to carry the story forward.
And there is plenty of history attached to that number. Messi leaves Argentina as the country’s record scorer, having won the 2022 World Cup and Copa América titles in 2021 and 2024. His international retirement has therefore created a sporting problem for Argentina, but also a ceremonial one: finding the moment when the No. 10 becomes just a number again.
For now, Argentina’s message appears clear: nobody needs to rush into Messi’s shirt. The No. 10 will get its final Messi performance against Benin on October 6, before the national team moves towards a new era from 2027. OGM News FC will continue watching closely as Argentina decides what comes next for the shirt, the team and the enormous shadow left behind by its most famous No. 10.
