Moriba demands number 10 to play for Guinea, manager claims in public row

Guinea manager Paulo Duarte publicly accused Celta midfielder Ilaix Moriba of demanding the number 10 shirt to play for the national team; Moriba's camp denies the claim, citing injury.

Guinea manager Paulo Duarte launched a public attack on midfielder Ilaix Moriba during a press conference following the team's 2-1 win over Eritrea in AFCON 2027 qualifying, accusing the Celta player of demanding the number 10 shirt as a condition to represent his country.

Duarte questioned why Moriba would make such a demand, comparing him unfavourably to legendary players and suggesting his ego was oversized. "When you have an outsized ego, only your own person matters," Duarte said. "The number 10 belongs to someone else who has had it for two years. Why do you want the 10? Maradona, Zico... Maybe you're still too small to wear the 10."

Moriba's representatives denied the accusation entirely, stating the 23-year-old was unavailable for the November international window due to persistent physical discomfort and fixture congestion at club level. "It was a decision taken by mutual agreement between the medical services of the Guinea national team and Celta," his camp said, rejecting claims about any shirt number dispute.

Moriba has made only 26 appearances for Guinea since his debut in January 2022 and has played just one match since September 2024.