After Argentina's loss to Spain in the 2026 World Cup final, the team returned home to a warm welcome from fans. However, according to talksport, captain Messi and 10 other teammates did not take part in the subsequent official celebration, choosing instead to leave North America separately.
In the World Cup final, Argentina failed to defend their title as Spain won 1-0 thanks to Ferran Torres's only goal in extra time. Argentina did not register a single shot on target in 120 minutes, prompting criticism of manager Scaloni's team.
Despite the defeat, the Argentina national team returned home on Monday evening to a grand welcome. Upon arrival, the team was greeted with a red carpet, a military band, fireworks, and live music performances before traveling on an open-top bus through the main streets of Buenos Aires to the national team training base.
However, Messi and 10 teammates did not take part in this homecoming celebration, opting instead to leave separately after their stay in the United States.
The 10 players are: De Paul, Cristian Romero, Alvarez, Rulli, J. Musso, Paz, Giuliano, Lautaro, Molina, and Enzo.
Meanwhile, Messi flew to Malvinas International Airport before returning directly to his hometown of Rosario.
Messi, 39, is set to resume club play, with his Inter Miami team restarting their season this week. However, due to post-World Cup adjustment arrangements, the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner is expected to have about three weeks of rest.
Argentine President Javier Milei personally arranged the team's homecoming celebration, hoping to boost morale. He said that although the team chose not to celebrate because they did not win the championship, their achievements still deserved recognition.
Milei said: "Faced with the disappointment of not winning the championship, they decided not to celebrate, but someone has to do what is due for this great team, the greatest team in history."
"In the past four World Cups, they have reached the final three times and won one championship. Considering their performance and the values they showed on the field, such a celebration is deserved."
Milei expressed understanding over Messi's absence from the celebration.
"Sometimes, it is hard for people to truly understand the historical significance of their achievements. We are all human and can make decisions based on our feelings."
"This is not a happy moment, and no words can describe it. He is a master of this Sport and has accomplished many incredible things."
"The football world owes him a debt of gratitude. We should respect his decision, because it is hard to accept that they were only one step away from the championship."
It is worth mentioning that after winning the 2022 World Cup, Argentina had also planned an open-top bus parade, but due to the massive gathering of fans that paralyzed Buenos Aires, the team was eventually forced to change its route, and Messi and his teammates even had to take helicopters to the city center's Obelisco to complete the celebration.
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Wapablrtz
0
Bad loser
THECHOSEN1
0
you're far from sense๐น๐น๐น
Youโre doomed
Juualnty
1
They are absent becoz they are ashame of what ganster football they show the world when the game ended. Gangster Football!
Lipdekrz
0
he cry because of the best player tournament,nonsense
Lipdekrz
0
he really wish for that best player of the tournament
Lipdekrz
0
they all are shameless people
Believersministry1
0
And all this Argentine players are very curning Messi is the problem of the team
And you are the problem of your family
rafaeljoel
0
FIFA chose Messi and the world chose Ronaldo. But Portugal players don't want to pass to Ronaldo. So are Portugal players not part of the world? Real Madrid doesn't choose Ronaldo as their greatest player of all time according to their official website. They say Alfredo di Stefano is their greatest football player of all time.Isn't Madrid part of the world? I have a thinking that those who say that Ronaldo is better than Messi are not serious
you're far from sense๐น๐น๐น
butcimnpuz
0
And all this Argentine players are very curning Messi is the problem of the team
Keeacmrsz
0
Messi stats vs big teams in competitive games: Brazil - 0 goals Spain - 0 goals Portugal - 0 goals England - 0 goals Italy - 0 goals Germany - 0 goals France - 2 goals (1 penalty) Netherlands - 1 goal (1 penalty) Croatia - 1 goal (1 penalty) this is the reason why he is missing
reject the man has 39 yrs old now if u r deaf in ur eyes n blind in your ear u should be reasonable btw qualified waste suits u Aks..๐ฒ๐บ
Yupabklort
2
3 time winners and 4 time runner up is an achievement
Yazabdiors
1
เงเงเฆฎเฆฏเฆฆ
podinptuyz
2
No one says messi is not a great player or even the greatest player ever? but the question is why did real football fans choose CR7 over the greatest player not hate as others say or do, but they're honours messi doesn't deserve currently we're already writing off mbape in the ballon d'or race yet the guy was a top scorer in laliga CL world cup, yet messi won it with 5 penalties, we're wrong when question it? he took the ballon d'or of lwandiwisk haaland and many others fifa seemed like CR7 intervened with there plan's a man who worked against the corrupt organization and still managed to 5 ballon d'ors is more than 8th of messi if Argentina won the world cup it was automatic no debate then that's where we fall off with messi not he's not a good player but he's favored by the system
FIFA chose Messi and the world chose Ronaldo. But Portugal players don't want to pass to Ronaldo. So are Portugal players not part of the world? Real Madrid doesn't choose Ronaldo as their greatest player of all time according to their official website. They say Alfredo di Stefano is their greatest football player of all time.Isn't Madrid part of the world? I have a thinking that those who say that Ronaldo is better than Messi are not serious
Yebbcdkry
0
No one says messi is not a great player or even the greatest player ever? but the question is why did real football fans choose CR7 over the greatest player not hate as others say or do, but they're honours messi doesn't deserve currently we're already writing off mbape in the ballon d'or race yet the guy was a top scorer in laliga CL world cup, yet messi won it with 5 penalties, we're wrong when question it? he took the ballon d'or of lwandiwisk haaland and many others fifa seemed like CR7 intervened with there plan's a man who worked against the corrupt organization and still managed to 5 ballon d'ors is more than 8th of messi if Argentina won the world cup it was automatic no debate then that's where we fall off with messi not he's not a good player but he's favored by the system
Really? Can you explain what happened in 2013?
Yebbcdkry
2
No one says messi is not a great player or even the greatest player ever? but the question is why did real football fans choose CR7 over the greatest player not hate as others say or do, but they're honours messi doesn't deserve currently we're already writing off mbape in the ballon d'or race yet the guy was a top scorer in laliga CL world cup, yet messi won it with 5 penalties, we're wrong when question it? he took the ballon d'or of lwandiwisk haaland and many others fifa seemed like CR7 intervened with there plan's a man who worked against the corrupt organization and still managed to 5 ballon d'ors is more than 8th of messi if Argentina won the world cup it was automatic no debate then that's where we fall off with messi not he's not a good player but he's favored by the system
When football leaves the pitch and is played in the social media, you find confused people who cannot tell the difference between skills, techniques. Who knew nothing about goals and weight of goals, Impact on games and contributions. Team trophies and individual accolades leading conversations, You will only see illogical spews. Creation of false narrative to suit their ignorance and force reasonable people to come to terms with their illogical logics. Social media influences many illogical logics that are seen to be logics. Ask questions and you will be tagged as ignoramus by the most ignorant sect. They are a sect. Nothing short of that. In the future after all is settled, explaining to your children that CR7 is GOATS over Messi will make sense to you alone.
hodmnorsty
3
SPAIN exposed MESSI laziness, exactly ARGENTINA played with 10 men, cz MESSI walking full 90 min, without a single shot on or off target
Bro, a walking Messi is far better than a running Ronaldo
rafaeljoel
0
It's hate plz dnt even pretend, bcoz how do u determine or measure a real football fan, does it have to be a cr7 fan
that's according to u? and it's your mind if it's free and fair why can't we say mbape deserves the ballon d'or
Pecelrtuz
0
No one says messi is not a great player or even the greatest player ever? but the question is why did real football fans choose CR7 over the greatest player not hate as others say or do, but they're honours messi doesn't deserve currently we're already writing off mbape in the ballon d'or race yet the guy was a top scorer in laliga CL world cup, yet messi won it with 5 penalties, we're wrong when question it? he took the ballon d'or of lwandiwisk haaland and many others fifa seemed like CR7 intervened with there plan's a man who worked against the corrupt organization and still managed to 5 ballon d'ors is more than 8th of messi if Argentina won the world cup it was automatic no debate then that's where we fall off with messi not he's not a good player but he's favored by the system
It's hate plz dnt even pretend, bcoz how do u determine or measure a real football fan, does it have to be a cr7 fan
BLKBtl
0
Rightfully so, they didn't win the world cup,
Mipabcmrsz
0
put Messi in the PL and you would find out he is just a normal average player
PL is below La liga now best league but no world cup since 1966๐๐๐
seackrtu
0
aThe u sportsman /ship behaviour continued even before the whole President of the country. What a shame!
Dauda329
0
Why are they hiding?๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐
Mipabcmrsz
0
Captain Paredes to the rescue. Next time Messi tells you they want to win for the fans and the countryโฆdonโt believe him. Itโs all about me me me
if Messi was selfish then he would win final and retire and let youngester suffer 10 years ban
rafaeljoel
3
No one says messi is not a great player or even the greatest player ever? but the question is why did real football fans choose CR7 over the greatest player not hate as others say or do, but they're honours messi doesn't deserve currently we're already writing off mbape in the ballon d'or race yet the guy was a top scorer in laliga CL world cup, yet messi won it with 5 penalties, we're wrong when question it? he took the ballon d'or of lwandiwisk haaland and many others fifa seemed like CR7 intervened with there plan's a man who worked against the corrupt organization and still managed to 5 ballon d'ors is more than 8th of messi if Argentina won the world cup it was automatic no debate then that's where we fall off with messi not he's not a good player but he's favored by the system
Jehbcelotz
3
Captain Paredes to the rescue. Next time Messi tells you they want to win for the fans and the countryโฆdonโt believe him. Itโs all about me me me
lutabdotu
1
this is a shame
zuwmosuyz
1
I would rather lose like CR7 than win like messi๐ค
Because he can't win ๐ so he will rather lose the 6-7 tournament
AdeyemmJerryking3232
0
For the very first time the whole world watched Losers Parade ๐๐๐
Do you mean loser pool?
ImryHaokip
2
Comment Section: Many people who couldn't even play Local League are mocking Messi.
rafaeljoel
1
I would rather lose like CR7 than win like messi๐ค
AbSixers
0
put Messi in the PL and you would find out he is just a normal average player
lol ๐ Messi is bigger than epl he has scored more goals against epl top 6 than Ronaldo who has played in epl
epjo
4
SPAIN exposed MESSI laziness, exactly ARGENTINA played with 10 men, cz MESSI walking full 90 min, without a single shot on or off target
AbSixers
0
not failure, assistance from fifa and referees then we can compare about failures kiddo
Ronaldo is the player that referee has favord the most in the history of football. have been seeing your comment everywhere trying to mock Messi. don't you have shame, is it referee that affected Portugal performance in the world Cup. Ronaldo played 6 world Cup and he never made it to the final. but you are trying to mock Messi who has played 3 final. do you even have brain to think
SAH7
3
what celebration? lol ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
epjo
2
SPAIN exposed MESSI laziness, exactly ARGENTINA played with 10 men, cz MESSI walking full 90 min, without a single shot on or off target ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
Yusbenost
1
4king cheaters n losers
raoacdmnrz
4
put Messi in the PL and you would find out he is just a normal average player
raoacdmnrz
1
the script got ruined in the final , and there is no way they could disallow Spains goal. Messi and friends are now crying
LamineYamaI
0
Ronaldo has yet to achieve Messi failure.
not failure, assistance from fifa and referees then we can compare about failures kiddo
yehamprsyz
1
The World Cup loss looks fishy Many things have happened behind closed doors that we will never know
MBM you know a lot than football that some people didnโt see that the game was forced for Argentina to lose to avoid som sanctions.
StevenKim13
5
Ronaldo has yet to achieve Messi failure.
LamineYamaI
3
๐ฃ๏ธ Thomas Mรผller: โThis World Cup didnโt look fair to me, to be honest. It looked like a tournament prepared for Argentina to win. When you look at what happened from the group stage to the final, no team benefited more than Argentina. No team had as many controversial decisions go in their favor, and no team faced more cheating allegations than Argentina. It happened in every single match they played, starting with their opening group-stage game against Algeria. Messi was also heavily protected and received special treatment on many occasions, which made everything fall in their favor. For me, it wasnโt fair at all. If they had won it, people who arenโt active football fans would think the sport is scripted.โ
LamineYamaI
5
Messi stats vs big teams in competitive games: Brazil - 0 goals Spain - 0 goals Portugal - 0 goals England - 0 goals Italy - 0 goals Germany - 0 goals France - 2 goals (1 penalty) Netherlands - 1 goal (1 penalty) Croatia - 1 goal (1 penalty) this is the reason why he is missing
SGTSingam
5
For the very first time the whole world watched Losers Parade ๐๐๐
Timdeloz
1
did well, coz they were only ready to compete against African teams. we should invite them for Africa cup
Topclass23749
3
It was because Messi didnโt want to go with his eyes filling with tears. He was ashamed of him self because the Argentina didnโt shot once at the goal. He went to his house in Miami with a taxi ๐ ๐ข
vuaabdipu
1
The World Cup loss looks fishy Many things have happened behind closed doors that we will never know