Lionel Messi told Sergio Aguero to wear his No. 10 shirt for Argentina in his absence.

Messi is injured until at least late November and will miss Argentina's World Cup qualifiers.

"I spoke to the kitman and he told me it is obligatory -- someone has to use it because the numbers go from 1 to 23," Aguero told the Manchester City website.

"I wore it for the first time against Bosnia, in a friendly in the United States, and Leo said: 'When I am not around, Kun has to use it.' Then he started to send me messages: 'Are you going to wear it? You're not going to chicken out?'

"Now every time he is absent it is up to me to wear it. I am happy to pull on the shirt, but it obviously belongs to him."