Argentina would like to pay Lionel Messi a rather rare tribute in the world of football. The president of the Argentine Football Federation, Claudio Tapia, has expressed his intention to give up the shirt with the number 10 of the national team after the end of the career of the player “Inter” from Miami.

Argentina will remain in tenth place after Lionel Messi retires from football

Lionel Messi captained Argentina to victory in the 2022 World Cup against France and also won the Copa America in 2021.

“When Messi retires from international football, we will not allow anyone else to wear the number 10 shirt,” Tapia said.

“It will be withdrawn into a lifetime pension in his honour. At least this is all we can do for him,” he added.

However, there are no guarantees that FIFA will allow the Argentine Football Federation (AFA) to do so, according to News.ro.

In the various official competitions organized by the world forum, the numbers are from 1 to 23, which also involves the number 10.

In the past, FIFA has reportedly refused Argentina to retire the number 10 in honor of Diego Maradona.

Lionel Messi, who moved from PSG to MLS side Inter Miami last summer, has yet to announce the end of his international career.

Since his first selection for Argentina in 2005, the former Barcelona man has donned the Albiceleste shirt 180 times, scoring 106 goals.