‘It’s Leo’s shirt!’ - Paulo Dybala reacts to taking Messi’s No.10 jersey during injury-enforced absence for Argentina & Inter Miami superstar

Eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi is still recovering from the ankle problem that he picked up in the 2024 Copa America final. Said ailment has kept him sidelined at MLS side Inter Miami, while also making him unavailable to his country.

Messi sat out a 2026 World Cup qualifying win over Chile – which saw an emotional farewell bid to Angel di Maria as he heads into international retirement – and Dybala was asked to take on an iconic jersey. He told TyC Sports afterwards of filling in for a fellow World Cup winner: “Being able to come back, being here with my team-mates, with our spectacular people who support me a lot and the truth is that well, it's special. I know it's not my shirt, we all know it's Leo's shirt but well, I tried to represent it in the best way, to give my best and I think I was able to do it.”

He added on taking No.10: “It was a decision made by the coaching staff, some of the boys said that it had to be me… I didn’t know whether to accept it or not because, well, it is a responsibility.”

Dybala embraced that pressure, as he stepped off the bench to score Argentina’s third goal in a 3-0 victory over Chile. He was not called upon by Lionel Scaloni for a Copa America triumph over the summer, but has earned his 39th cap after snubbing interest from the Saudi Pro League and remaining in Italy at Roma.

Messi will be absent once again when Argentina return to action against Colombia next Tuesday, with the 37-year-old still in Florida working on his recovery. That means Dybala may get another chance to prove his worth alongside the likes of Lautaro Martinez and Julian Alvarez.