FIFA has stopped the Argentine Football Association (AFA) from retiring Lionel Messi’s iconic No. 10 shirt from the national team.

The AFA had planned to permanently withdraw the number as a tribute to Messi after his expected final appearance for Argentina.

However, FIFA’s squad-numbering regulations require national teams to allocate shirt numbers within a specified range during major international tournaments. The rule prevents Argentina from removing the No. 10 from its squad list when all applicable numbers are required to be assigned.

Messi announced on August 31 that he would retire from international football after more than 20 years with the Argentine national team.

The Inter Miami forward is expected to make his farewell appearance before the Argentine home crowd on October 6, when Argentina host Benin in a friendly at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires.

Messi has made 207 appearances for Argentina and scored 125 goals, wearing the No. 10 shirt throughout much of his celebrated international career.