Buenos Aires  - Argentina coach Diego Maradona on Saturday granted to superstar Lionel Messi the prestigious number 10 jersey that he once wore himself.

Maradona - nicknamed "El Diez" because he is for most the best player ever to wear that shirt - picked Barcelona striker Messi as one of his successors prior to his first competitive game as national team coach, against Venezuela in Buenos Aires.

In recent years, the talented midfielder Juan Roman Riquelme has worn the shirt, but he stepped down from the national team earlier this month over a spat with Maradona.

Messi used to wear the number 18 shirt while on duty with Argentina. (dpa)