Who Gets Messi's No. 10 Shirt Now That He Has Retired?

Argentina is already preparing for life without Lionel Messi, and one of the first things it has to figure out is what happens to his No. 10 shirt.

The Argentine Football Association has just announced that matches across the country will stop in the 10th minute for a minute of applause for Messi, a tribute built around the number he made his own.

Now that same number needs a new player.

Messi leaves the national team as Argentina's record appearance holder and top scorer, with 207 caps and 125 goals. He also leaves behind a World Cup, two Copa América titles and one of the longest international careers the country has seen.

So, who gets the 10?

Nico Paz is the leading name

For now,Nico Paz appears to be the frontrunner.

The 21-year-old attacking midfielder, who plays for Como, hasreportedly been identified by Lionel Scaloni as the player he wants to give the shirt to. There is an important condition, though: the plan depends on Scaloni continuing as Argentina coach.

That means the handover is not official yet.

Paz was part of Argentina's 2026 World Cup squad and wore No. 18 during the tournament. For Como, he wears No. 10.

His position also makes the choice understandable. Paz can play as an attacking midfielder, operate between the lines and create chances, giving him some of the qualities Argentina will need as it moves into its next generation.

But he is not the only player being considered.

Argentina has other options

Julián Álvarez, Lautaro Martínez and Thiago Almada are also among the names being discussed for the shirt.

Álvarez and Martínez already have years of experience with the national team and were part of the squad that reached the 2026 World Cup final.

Franco Mastantuono has a different advantage. He has already worn Argentina's No. 10 in Messi's absence, taking the shirt when the captain missed a match in September 2025, making him the most recent player to take the shirt for the national team.

There is also Alexis Mac Allister, who wears No. 10 for Liverpool and has worn the number at previous clubs. He was not part of Argentina's 2026 World Cup squad, though, which puts him behind some of the other candidates.

Scaloni therefore has several players to choose from. Paz simply appears to be the name at the front of the queue.

Messi inherited this number too

The strange part about Argentina's No. 10 is that Messi was not its first legendary owner.

Diego Maradona wore it before him. Juan Román Riquelme also had it before Messi took over permanently.

Messi first wore No. 10 for Argentina in 2009, against Venezuela in a World Cup qualifier. He scored and assisted that night, beginning a relationship with the shirt that would last for more than 17 years.

That history is also why Argentina cannot simply decide that nobody will wear the number again.

FIFA rules for its competitions require teams to use assigned squad numbers, meaning Argentina cannot permanently leave No. 10 unused in the way some clubs have retired famous numbers.

The same issue came up after Maradona's career. Argentina eventually gave the shirt to Messi, and he went on to create his own history with it.

Now another player gets that chance.

The next No. 10 will have to live with the comparisons

Whoever gets it will immediately be compared with Messi. That is unavoidable.

But Argentina does not need another Messi. It needs a player who can become important to the team in his own way.

For now, that player looks likeNico Paz.

The decision is not official, and it could still depend on Scaloni's future. But after Messi's retirement, the No. 10 is no longer waiting for its next owner.

It is waiting to see who is willing to wear it.