Messi returns to Rosario, retreats to parents’ home after World Cup final defeat | OneFootball

Lionel Messi has returned to Rosario after Argentina’s 2026 World Cup final defeat by Spain, heading straight to his parents’ home in a luxury gated community.

According to El Periódico Mediterráneo, he landed at 6.28 in the morning from Miami on a private jet with his wife Antonela Roccuzzo and their children Thiago, Mateo and Ciro.

Supporters gathered at the airport with messages of thanks, chanting his name and urging him to continue with the national team despite being 39. They caught only a glimpse before the Argentina captain got into a car and headed for the Kentucky estate on the outskirts of the city, where his parents live.

Unlike several team-mates who returned to Europe from the United States, Messi avoided the squad’s official reception. Only 16 of the 26-man group joined a road procession from Ezeiza airport to Buenos Aires, waving to fans from buses, and he was absent.

A day after the defeat, Messi said the pain was great and would be hard to close, yet he also took comfort in the positives. He noted that this group has reached two consecutive World Cup finals.

He is expected to remain in Rosario for a few days. Inter Miami coach Guillermo Hoyos said Messi and Rodrigo de Paul have no fixed date to rejoin the squad, adding that they need rest with their loved ones and will take as long as necessary.

Source: El Periódico Mediterráneo