Who Will Replace Messi as Argentina's No. 10?
The previous succession had something this one will no longer be able to have: the blessing of the outgoing king. It was Diego Maradona who, as Argentina head coach, permanently handed the No. 10 shirt to Messi in 2009 and began pushing him toward center stage. Years later, when comparisons and criticism were still following Leo, Diego practically predicted what was to come: “Let the others talk, because you're going to be the greatest of all time.”
Messi also went on to wear the captain's armband for 15 years, from 2011 to 2026. Diego pointed to the heir. Now Messi is leaving without an obvious one. And perhaps that is where the real debate begins.
One Armband, One Natural Heir
The shirt can wait. The armband, not so much. Cristian “Cuti” Romero has the edge to become Argentina's new captain. He already wore the armband against Chile and Venezuela in 2025 and against Mauritania in 2026. Without Messi or Otamendi, he is the natural heir: a starter, a World Cup champion, a strong personality and a respected voice inside the locker room. But Scaloni has yet to officially name a successor.
Enzo: $268 Million Later
If captaincy is also built by surviving pressure, Enzo Fernández has the credentials. Chelsea paid Benfica £106 million — around $143 million — after Qatar 2022, making him the most expensive Argentine player in history at the time. Three years later, Manchester City broke the market again: £125 million, around $169 million, to take him away from Stamford Bridge.
At 25, a World Cup and Copa América champion with a contract through 2031, Enzo emerges as the candidate capable of controlling the midfield throughout the next cycle. He has the personality of a captain. The question is different: does he also have the soul of a No. 10?
What if the No. 10 Goes to Alexis?
If the armband appears to have a frontrunner, the shirt presents a much more open debate. And Alexis Mac Allister deserves to be at the front of the line.
A World Cup champion, 27 years old, an undisputed starter and a Liverpool player, Alexis knows that number perfectly well: he wears No. 10 at Anfield, previously wore it at Brighton and Argentinos Juniors, and also had it for Argentina at the U-23 Pre-Olympic Tournament and the Olympic Games.
Nico Paz: The European Who Chose to Be Argentine
There is something unique about Nico Paz. He was born and developed as a footballer in Europe, came through La Fábrica and made his professional debut with Real Madrid before finding in Italy's Como the place to build his own name. In that sense, his journey inevitably echoes Messi's: an Argentine developed far from Argentina who must build his connection with the Albiceleste from a distance.
At 21, he decided to remain at Como for another season even when Madrid had opened the door for his return. The Spanish club retains a buyback option for 2027. Left-footed, elegant, cerebral and capable of operating between the lines, Paz seems tailor-made to enter the conversation. The Madrid gem is laying his foundations on the shores of Lake Como before attempting to conquer Buenos Aires.
Almada: Return to Play, Move Away From the No. 10?
Thiago Almada presents the most contradictory case. He is 25, a World Cup champion, knows the Scaloni era and possesses the natural characteristics of a classic playmaker. But his current situation raises questions.
After an inconsistent season at Atlético Madrid — 40 matches, four goals and two assists — he chose to return to Argentine soccer, with River paying around €20 million for his transfer. The decision guarantees him regular playing time, but it also temporarily takes him away from Europe's biggest stage.
And he arrives at a struggling River, eliminated from the Sudamericana, with no international competition ahead and going through one of its deepest sporting and institutional crises in recent years. For Almada, returning home could provide the boost he needed. Or it could be an enormous risk just as Argentina's No. 10 shirt is looking for a new owner.
Lautaro: The Captain Who Doesn't Need the No. 10
Lautaro Martínez perhaps represents the most logical candidate for one of the three inheritances. Captain of Inter, a World Cup and Copa América champion, a goalscorer and a strong voice inside the Argentina locker room.
The question is the calendar: he will be 33 by the next World Cup. He could be the man who receives the armband to lead the transition without necessarily being handed the No. 10 shirt as well. Because perhaps that will be the first major difference of the post-Messi era: the captain can be one player and the owner of the team's footballing identity another.
Mastantuono: The Future That Has Already Worn the Shirt
Franco Mastantuono belongs to another generation, and that is precisely what makes him so intriguing. He has already experienced wearing Argentina's No. 10 shirt in Messi's absence and possesses that combination of talent, a gifted left foot and fearlessness that has historically captivated Argentine soccer.
His challenge is turning promise into consistency. The number can wait: after spending nearly two decades on Messi's back, perhaps handing it over too quickly would also be a way of placing too much pressure on him.
Tomás Aranda: The Name Still Being Mentioned Quietly
And then there is Tomás Aranda, the least obvious name in the conversation. He served as a sparring player for the national team, entered the coaching staff's radar and received praise from Lionel Scaloni. He is still several steps behind the established candidates, but he represents something Argentina knows perfectly well: the player who emerges from behind while everyone is looking elsewhere.
Today, he would be a gamble. As the No. 10 for Boca Jrs., he has plenty of opportunities; tomorrow, who knows. Iconic shirts can also create unexpected stories.
The No. 10, the Armband and the Throne
For 15 years, Argentina had an issue settled that now suddenly seems enormous.
Messi was all three.
He was the No. 10.
He was the captain.
He was the leader.
Perhaps the mistake would be searching for another player capable of inheriting everything.
Lautaro can wear the armband. Enzo can command the team. Julián can become its star. Nico Paz, Mastantuono or Almada can stake their claim to the shirt once worn by Kempes, Maradona, Ortega, Riquelme and Messi.
Because this time, Diego is no longer here to point to the next one and tell him to let everyone else talk.
The No. 10 shirt has been left sitting on a chair.
The armband beside it.
And for the first time in a long time, Argentina must decide whether both should end up in the same hands.
