With Lionel Messi‘s international retirement just days away, Emiliano “Dibu” Martinez may have let slip who he thinks should take over the most iconic number in Argentine soccer.
The Chelsea goalkeeper commented “new number 10?” on a photo of teammate Nico Paz, sparking speculation over whether the Como playmaker is being lined up to inherit Messi’s shirt once the Albiceleste begins its new cycle toward the 2030 World Cup. Whether it was a genuine hint or simply Martinez sharing his own wish remains unclear, but the comment quickly caught attention given the timing.
Paz has emerged as one of the leading candidates for the number, both for his style of play and his growing influence in Lionel Scaloni’s setup. He delivered a standout performance, goal included, in Argentina‘s recent 4-0 rout of Bolivia, further strengthening his case as one of the players tasked with absorbing some of Messi’s creative responsibilities going forward.
Argentina has two matches left on this international break to build toward that transition, facing Burkina Faso on Saturday, October 3, before Messi’s emotional send-off against Benin on Tuesday, October 6, both at the Estadio Monumental.
Nico Paz’s official Instagram account.
Who else could wear the No. 10?
Beyond Paz, there’s been no shortage of names floated for the job. Some believe the shirt would be better suited to a proven World Cup winner than a 22-year-old still building his international résumé, with Alexis Mac Allister, Julián Álvarez and Enzo Fernández mentioned as alternatives who already carry the experience and pedigree to handle that symbolic weight.
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Others have pointed to Franco Mastantuono, who, after turning heads with a sensational start to his professional career, was sold to Real Madrid and positioned himself as a potential successor to Messi for Argentina.
However, he hasn’t been able to replicate that early form in the Spanish capital and now finds himself on loan at Fiorentina, but he was still called up by Scaloni to play in the friendlies during this international window.
Mastantuono, however, is actually the last player besides Messi to wear the No. 10 for Argentina, doing so during a World Cup qualifier against Ecuador when the Argentine captain was unavailable. He wasn’t even the original choice that day — Thiago Almada was set to wear it before a muscle injury ruled him out, opening the door for Mastantuono to take it instead.
