From Labruna to Messi: the story of the elite group that wore Argentina’s number 10 at Wembley

Lionel Messi is the player who usually wears the number 10 shirt of the Argentine National Team. He did it 122 times. But never at the iconic Wembley Stadium. Of the three times he has played on the national team in England, one was in the city of London but at Upton Park and the other two in Manchester. On Wednesday, against Italy, this is the first time there have been 10 at Wembley, a scenario where only 6 players have used 10 of Argentina in history. In addition to Diego Maradona, of course, Angel Amadeo Labruna, Antonio Rattín, Carlos Squeo, Germán Martellotto and Ariel Ortega also wore that number.

There was a time when soccer players were not identified by a number on their back. Not at the Amsterdam Olympic Games, or at the 1930 and 1934 World Cups, or at the tournaments in South America until 1955. Nor at the First Division tournament. It was only in June 1949, after the AFA hired English referees, that it began to be used.

The first to use 10 against another National Team was Angelito Labruna, against Paraguay, in the Chevallier Boutell Cup matches, on March 25 and 29, 1950. When the numbers were implemented, most of the formations were pronounced using the old tactical technique (2-3-5), although the WM reigns (3-2-2-3). Thus, the backs used 2 and 3, the halves were 4, 5 and 6; and forward 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11. Angelito played inside left. That’s why he always wears number 10, in the River and in the National Team.

The third official match with numbers on the shirt was on May 9, 1951, against England at Wembley. Argentina won 1-0 with a goal from Mario Boyé after a cross from Labruna. They then lost 2-1, despite the exceptional performance of Velez goalkeeper Miguel Rugilo. In the photos from English television shown in the following tweet, you can clearly see the 10 behind the top scorer in Argentine soccer.

The second time Argentina played at Wembley was in the 1966 World Cup, when it was eliminated in the quarterfinals against the local and future champion (0-1 on July 23), the day of Antonio Rattín’s controversial ouster, which is 5 but has 10 behind it. Why? The list and the subsequent numbering respect the lines: the archers carried used 1, 2 and 3; defenders from 4 to 9, midfielder from 10 to 15 and forward from 16 to 22. That’s why Ermindo Onega, who is number 10 on the team, wore number 20.

Argentina again faced England at Wembley before the 1974 World Cup was played in Germany. On the previous tour, on May 22, they lost 2-0 but they were able to overcome the situation and tied it 2-2 with two goals from Mario Alberto Kempes. The coach was Vladislao Cap but it was a reinforced triumvirate with Víctor Rodríguez and Vladislao Cap. The National Team played with a classic 4-3-3 and the midfielder on the left (not as advanced as during Labruna’s time) continued to use 10. That area was occupied by Carlos Squeo, then Racing player.

Diego Maradona has been the undisputed number 10 owner for nearly two decades. In his third game with light blue and white and six months after his debut, on August 31, 1977 in a 2-0 defeat against Paraguay, he wore it for the first time. On May 13, 1980, he played his tenth game for the National Team and it was against England at Wembley.. Argentina lost 3-1, but Diego made a memorable game, which after avoiding four rivals was not a goal by chance. He improved it after six years in Azteca in Mexico.

Germán Martellotto has only played one official against the National Team: it was at Wembley against England and he wore the number 10. He played in Monterrey and was called up by Coco Alfio Basile for the friendly against the United States and for the Stanley Rous Cup triangle, in which the Soviet Union also participated. On May 25 and they tied 2-2, with goals from Claudio García and Darío Franco. Martellotto played 60 minutes. It’s debut and goodbye.

During the World Cup in France 98, in the city of London there was a giant poster of a sports brand with the image of Ariel Ortega. “Remember the hand of god. Here’s the rest of him”, affirmation of gigantography. Something like: “Remember the Hand of God. This is all that’s left of him.” El Burrito is Diego’s heir apparent. Two years later, Jujuy was the last Argentine player to wear 10 at Wembley. On February 23, 2000, the then team led by Marcelo Bielsa tied at 0-0.

Argentina played again in London on September 3, 2006, at the start of Basile’s second cycle, against Brazil (0-3). But he did it at the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal. Lionel Messi used the number 19. It was only on March 28, 2009, when the National Team beat Venezuela 4-0 for the South American Qualifiers for South Africa 2010, that they got 10. The technician is Diego.

The next match in London, on November 12, 2014 against Croatia (2-1), with Leo as starter and captain, was played at Upton Park, the venue of West Ham. The next two in Manchester, with Messi’s presence in the first, on November 18, 2014 against Portugal (0-1). In the run-up to Russia 2018, when the team led by Jorge Sampaoli beat Italy 2-0 at the Etihad Stadium, Messi was injured.

This Wednesday, In match number 123 with the Argentina 10 jersey, Messi will play for the first time in the mythical Argentina 10 at Wembley.