Argentina Hands Messi’s No. 10 Shirt to Franco Mastantuono vs Ecuador

Argentina will face Ecuador in the final South American World Cup 2026 qualifier without Lionel Messi, who is resting due to a hamstring injury and preparing for MLS commitments. The iconic number 10 shirt, long worn by Messi, will be passed to Real Madrid's 18-year-old Franco Mastantuono, making him potentially the youngest player to wear the number in Argentina's senior team history. Although earlier reports suggested Thiago Almada, the 24-year-old Atlético Madrid midfielder with 11 caps and notable contributions, would receive the shirt, the Argentine Football Association confirmed Mastantuono will don the number 10 for the match in Guayaquil. Mastantuono previously wore the number 10 for Argentina's U-20 squad, while Almada wore it during the 2024 Paris Olympics with the U-23 team. Messi, who recently played his last competitive home match for Argentina, is expected to return for future international fixtures, continuing to lead the national team as they aim for back-to-back World Cup titles. Argentina, already qualified and leading CONMEBOL standings, could break records with a win over Ecuador, against whom they have a strong recent record.