No One Has Started Like Nico Paz in Argentina’s Shirt — Is He the Next No. 10?

Who will inherit Argentina's iconic No. 10 shirt after Lionel Messi? There is no official answer yet, but Nico Paz is increasingly becoming one of the names at the centre of that conversation.

After Argentina's 4-0 victory over Bolivia, goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez added fuel to the debate with a short but intriguing question on social media: "New No. 10?"

Paz has already been viewed by some as a potential successor to Messi, and his latest performance provided another reminder of his growing importance to the national team.

The Como attacking midfielder played a key role in Argentina's comfortable victory, creating a goal with a superb chip and making an impact from a set-piece situation.

But his most remarkable achievement has come through an extraordinary winning run.

12 Wins From 12 Argentina Appearances

Paz made his Argentina debut against Bolivia on October 15, 2024, during a 6-0 World Cup qualifying victory.

Since then, Argentina have won every match in which Paz has appeared.

His latest appearance against Bolivia took his record to 12 wins from 12 matches for the national team.

According to Argentine sports publication El Grafico, no player in Argentina's history had previously won all of his first 12 international appearances.

Several players had previously won their first seven matches after making their Argentina debuts, including Natalio Pescia, Federico Vairo, Mario Bolatti and Alejandro Garnacho.

Paz has now moved beyond that mark.

Could He Become Messi's Successor?

The biggest question surrounding Paz, however, goes beyond his impressive statistics.

It is the No. 10 shirt.

Messi's international future is approaching its final chapter, with Argentina scheduled to face Benin in their next friendly. If that proves to be Messi's final appearance for the national team, attention will inevitably turn towards the future of Argentina's most famous shirt.

The AFA will ultimately decide who wears it next.

For now, Martinez's "New No. 10?" comment has added another layer to the discussion.

Paz, however, still has to build his own identity. Comparing any young Argentine to Messi brings enormous expectations, but the 20-year-old has already written his name into the national team's record books.

A Historic Start

Paz's Argentina story began against Bolivia, and it was against the same opponent that he extended his remarkable winning record.

Twelve appearances. Twelve victories.

That statistic alone does not determine who should inherit Messi's No. 10 shirt. But it does show just how extraordinary Paz's beginning with Argentina has been.

The AFA will eventually make the decision over Messi's successor. Until then, Nico Paz's performances are making it increasingly difficult to ignore his name in the conversation.