Football / Argentina Receive Hero’s Welcome after FIFA World Cup 2026 Heartbreak, Lionel Messi Absent

Ezeiza, Jul 21: FIFA World Cup 2026 runners-up Argentina received a grand welcome at the airport with red carpet and a military band when they returned home following a heartbreaking 1-0 defeat against Spain in the final held at MetLife Stadium in New York.

Despite the team failing to defend the title, the fans show their support to the national, thousands gathered outside the Argentine Football Association (AFA) office near at Ministro Pistarini International Airport in Ezeiza.

After landing, the aircraft was moved to the private flight area FBO to facilitate the arrival of the delegation. Coach Lionel Scaloni and the rest of the team were welcomed on the tarmac with a red carpet by the Grenadier Regiment to the rhythm of " Muchachos " and then by a multitude of fans in the surroundings of the grounds.

Also read: Messi Says 'Pain Is Immense' After Argentina's World Cup Final Defeat

Fans were holding white and blue umbrellas and wearing the number 10 jersey of their team captain, Lionel Messi; however, the 39-year-old, who might have played his last game for the national team, was not present with the squad. The AFA had earlier announced that several team members would not be travelling, and Messi was among them.

Among the members of the delegation who returned to the country are the players Emiliano Martinez, Juan Musso, Nicolás Otamendi, Lisandro Martinez, Nicolas Tagliafico, Gonzalo Montiel, Marcos Senesi, Valentin Barco, Leandro Paredes, Alexis Mac Allister, Exequiel Palacios, Giovani Lo Celso, Thiago Almada, Cristian Medina, Nicolas Gonzalez and Jose Manuel Lopez.

The Argentine National Team delegation was escorted under heavy security and the players and members of the coaching staff travelled to the Lionel Andres Messi grounds in an open-top bus and greeted the fans, who gathered to offer a unified message of gratitude amidst flags and chants.

Along the route, hundreds of families, groups of friends, and fans gathered with jerseys, flags, and drums to greet the players. Many waited for several hours, hoping to catch a glimpse of the team and thank them for their efforts throughout the World Cup.

Upon arriving at the Lionel Andres Messi Training Center, the members of the delegation were greeted by officials from the Argentine Football Association and staff from the complex. There, the return operation officially concluded for a national team.

(IANS)