After much contemplation about paying tribute to the late Diego Maradona by considering the retirement of his iconic number 10 jersey, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) is once again advocating for a similar gesture.
This time, it is in honour of the contemporary football icon and World Cup winner Lionel Messi.
Similar to the legendary Maradona, who is still revered as the greatest of his era, Messi, arguably the most decorated footballer in history, also proudly wears the esteemed number 10 jersey.
Following Diego Maradona's retirement from football, the then-president of the AFA, Julio Grondona, and several other officials chose not to assign the number ten jersey to any player on the national team.
However, their request was rejected by FIFA, citing their regulations, which specify that teams in top-tier tournaments, including the World Cup, must use jersey numbers ranging from 1 to 23.
