Argentina make huge Lionel Messi decision, years after attempting the same for Diego Maradona

In the world of football, there are many important symbols, and one of them is the number 10.

But if we are talking about the number 10 of the Argentinian national team it is a really big symbol.

Wearing the number 10 in a team gives you the status of a star, of a leader on the pitch. We all remember great players who carried the responsibility of wearing that number and became leaders of their teams.

A few years ago, the number ten jersey of the Argentine national team, which the Argentine Football Association (AFA) decided to remove from use in homage to Diego Maradona, was worn by a player in Marcelo Bielsa's team at the 2002 World Cup.

At the time, Julio Grondona, president of the AFA and some Argentinean officials wanted to remove it, but their wish "could not be fulfilled" because of a FIFA regulation, which decided that teams should use numbers from 1 to 23 in the top national team tournament.

Following the AFA's decision to pay tribute to Maradona by retiring the number ten jersey, Ariel Ortega was chosen in Argentina as the last player to officially wear the iconic number in the Argentina-Peru match.

Argentina to retire Messi's number 10

After the achievement of winning the World Cup in Qatar by the Argentine national team and Lionel Messi, the figure of the Argentine player will receive a last recognition.

When he decides to hang up his national team boots, his number 10, once worn by Maradona, will be retired, according to AFA president Claudio 'Chiqui' Tapia.

"When Messi retires from the national team, we will not allow anyone else to wear the number 10 after him. This number '10' will be retired for life in his honour. It's the least we can do for him," AFA president Tapia told an Argentine newspaper.

Messi has a total record of 180 appearances and 106 goals in the jersey of the Argentine national team.

Within the Argentine's track record with the senior team, he boasts a Copa America (2021) and above all the 2022 World Cup, a competition that put him on the podium alongside Diego Maradona and Pele.