Lionel Messi shirts to test Paraguay’s away shirt ban

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni is convinced there will be Lionel Messi shirts in the home section despite the Paraguayan Football Federation’s (APF) ban on rival shirts ahead of Thursday’s South American World Cup 2026 qualifier.

Argentina will play Paraguay at the Defensores del Chaco stadium in Asuncion on Thursday, and APF manager Fernando Villasboa warned the home crowd to wear only Paraguayan shirts, as no shirts from Argentina, Argentine clubs or clubs containing the names of players from other countries, will be allowed.

“We will not allow the other team’s shirt. It is not a problem against Messi. We respect the careers of all footballers. It is just that the home ground is very important for us,” Villasboa told a press conference on Wednesday.

Paraguay coach Gustavo Alfaro said: “I have nothing to do with the T-shirt ban. I had no idea about it. I think the idea is to reduce the margin of a possible source of conflict.”

“Messi is our rival tomorrow, I wish him the best game of his life against Peru, but not tomorrow,” he added.

However, Scaloni said the global impact of Argentina’s No.10, the country’s leading goalscorer and World Cup winner, is far greater.

“Logically, for the Paraguayan footballer, for the fan, they all want to wear the national team shirt. But Leo (Messi) is stronger than all that and there will be Argentine shirts,” Scaloni told a news conference on Wednesday.

“It doesn’t mean they don’t support Paraguay. I think it’s good that football people recognize what he is. And it’s not because you have a shirt that you become an Argentina fan.”

Argentina sits atop the South American standings with 22 points, three ahead of Colombia. After the Paraguay game, they take on Peru on November 19.