Argentina will not give out Lionel Messi’s number 10 shirt for their November friendlies. Messi has retired from international football. Coach Lionel Scaloni made the call. Argentine outlet TyC Sports reported it. So the famous shirt will stay free during the FIFA break.
Argentina play Uruguay on November 13 at La Bombonera. Then they face Costa Rica on November 17 at the Mario Alberto Kempes Stadium in Córdoba. FIFA friendly rules do not force teams to use shirt numbers 1 to 11 in order. That lets Scaloni leave the number open until the South American qualifiers start again in 2027.
People are already asking who might take the shirt. Nico Paz is the leading name. He is 22 and plays for Como in Italy. He has done well for his club and for Argentina. He scored in each of Argentina’s last three friendlies. Those were against Bolivia, Burkina Faso and Benin. His teammate Valentín Barco backed him for the number. Barco said he likes everything about Paz’s game and hopes he gets the 10. But Paz is not the only option.
Messi played for Argentina for more than 20 years. He is the country’s most celebrated footballer. He announced his retirement on August 31, 2026. That came after Argentina lost to Spain in the 2026 World Cup final. He played a farewell match against Benin on October 6 at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires. He scored in a 3-0 win. His international career included the 2022 World Cup title and Copa América wins in 2021 and 2024. Messi still plays club football for Inter Miami in MLS.
Argentina Announce First Squad for November Friendlies Against Uruguay and Costa Rica
Argentina has named its first squad since Lionel Messi retired. The team will play two friendlies in November. The first is against Uruguay on November 13 in Buenos Aires. The second is against Costa Rica on November 17 in Córdoba. The squad has 28 players.
One big name on the list is Emiliano Martínez. He plays for Chelsea. He had surgery last month after hurting his jaw against Everton. He has not played for Chelsea since. The squad also has three other goalkeepers. They are Gerónimo Rulli, Juan Musso and Santiago Beltrán.
Aaron Anselmino has his first call-up. Chelsea signed him in 2024 for about $18 million. He has been on loan at Boca Juniors, Borussia Dortmund and Strasbourg. He is back at Chelsea this season. But he got hurt in a friendly against Malaysia’s Johor. He has not played any official minutes under Xabi Alonso.
From River, coach Lionel Scaloni picked Thiago Almada, Santiago Beltrán and Gonzalo Montiel. Palmeiras has two players in the squad: Agustín Giay and José Manuel López. Mariano Troilo of Parma is in. So are Franco Mastantuono of Fiorentina, Gianluca Prestianni of Benfica and Exequiel Palacios of Ipswich Town.
Messi played his last game for Argentina last month. It was a 3-0 friendly win over Benin in Buenos Aires. He scored in that match. It was his 208th game for Argentina and his 126th goal. He played for 21 years. He won two Copa América titles and one World Cup.
Lewandowski Shirt Sales Beat Messi’s After Chicago Move
Robert Lewandowski has made a big splash in MLS. His Chicago Fire jersey has been the most popular in the league since he joined in June. It has even outsold Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami shirt. The league revealed its 10 best-selling jerseys for 2026 on Tuesday. Messi is still No. 1 for the full year. But Lewandowski’s arrival gave shirt sales a major boost.
Lewandowski signed with Chicago on June 29. He made his MLS debut on July 22 against Inter Miami. The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich star has 7 goals and 5 assists in 18 games. His play has helped the Fire reach fourth place in the Eastern Conference. They are in the playoffs.
Messi leads all sales for 2026, his fourth straight year on top. He first topped the list in 2023, a few months after joining Inter Miami in July. This year, Son Heung-Min of LAFC is second. Thomas Müller of Vancouver Whitecaps is third. Lewandowski is fourth on the full-year list. Antoine Griezmann of Orlando City is fifth. He was announced as a signing in March. He officially joined in July after finishing the 2025-26 season with Atlético Madrid.
FAQs
Q. Why will Argentina leave Lionel Messi’s No. 10 shirt vacant in November?
A. Lionel Scaloni decided not to assign the shirt following Messi’s international retirement.
Q. Who is the leading candidate to inherit Argentina’s No. 10 shirt?
A. Nico Paz is the leading candidate after scoring in Argentina’s last three friendlies.
Q. When will Argentina play Uruguay and Costa Rica?
A. Argentina will face Uruguay on November 13 and Costa Rica on November 17.
Q. How many players are included in Argentina’s first squad?
A. Lionel Scaloni named a 28-player squad for the November friendlies.
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