Argentina in No Hurry to Decide Fate of No. 10 Shirt After Messi’s Departure

Staff Report | PNN

As Lionel Messi’s departure from international football draws closer, questions about the future of the Argentina national team are increasingly coming to the fore. However, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni does not want to rush into any decision regarding Messi’s iconic No. 10 shirt.

The Argentina coach has said that the No. 10 shirt will not be given to another player until Messi potentially plays his final match for the national team. However, there are no plans to permanently retire the historic shirt after Messi’s departure. Instead, another Argentina player will wear the number in the future.

Argentina will face Bolivia in a friendly at the Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes in Cordoba next Thursday. The world champions will then play Burkina Faso and Benin. The October 7 match against Benin in Buenos Aires is being regarded as Messi’s potential final appearance in the Argentina shirt.

Speaking at a press conference ahead of the Bolivia match, Scaloni said the upcoming games would provide an opportunity to assess the team’s current condition and experiment with some new options. He also said that Messi’s absence would not bring any major change to Argentina’s style of play or its philosophy of possession-based football.

In Messi’s absence, Scaloni is planning to field Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez together in attack. Until now, he had been somewhat cautious about regularly playing the two strikers in the same starting XI.

Scaloni has not yet confirmed the lineup for the Bolivia match. However, several players who featured in the 2022 World Cup final are expected to be included in the team.

Scaloni has also made his position clear regarding Messi’s No. 10 shirt. He does not see any need for another player to wear the number before Messi’s farewell match. However, after Messi’s departure, the Argentina coach believes the shirt should eventually be worn by a new player.

Messi also wore the No. 10 shirt when Argentina won the World Cup in 2022. He has spent a significant part of his long international career wearing the number. As a result, his departure has created a separate emotional significance around the shirt.

Meanwhile, Scaloni also spoke about his own future as Argentina’s national team coach. His current contract is scheduled to expire in December, but discussions over a new agreement are underway with Argentine Football Association president Claudio Tapia.

Scaloni said he remains interested in continuing as Argentina coach. He said the next decision would be made after reviewing future plans, financial matters and the team’s sporting project.

Scaloni is also optimistic that Argentina can maintain its competitive position without Messi. According to him, the emergence of talented new players and the enthusiasm of younger footballers are creating positive possibilities for the national team’s future.