Thousands of people are waiting to greet the team as they return home without captain Messi and several other players after the World Cup.
Published July 20, 2026
Thousands of Argentines lined up to welcome their soccer team, which returned without iconic captain Lionel Messi and several other players after losing to Spain in the U.S. World Cup final.
The Argentine Football Association (AFA) announced on Monday that some team members would not be on the plane, and footage broadcast on local television did not show Messi exiting the plane.
Coach Lionel Scaloni and his team members were welcomed by a red carpet and a military band outside the plane.
Thousands of fans braved the cold and rain outside the AFA training facility near Ezeiza International Airport to wait for the players to return home, wearing flags and holding blue and white umbrellas to protect them from the drizzle.
It’s been four years since millions of people filled the streets to celebrate the team’s victory in 2022, and while it wasn’t the homecoming the Argentine had hoped for, it turns out that many appreciated the team’s performance.
“Thank you Messi”
“Argentines will celebrate anyway,” said Marga Ledesma, 36, who thanked Messi for “making us happy for so many years” and urged him not to quit playing for Argentina.
Argentina lost to Spain 0-1 in a match that drew criticism for La Albiceleste’s repeated fouls and poor sportsmanship, costing them their second consecutive World Cup title.
“I think they’re criticizing us because they know what it’s like to suffer, to get up and fall again and keep going,” Ledesma said.
Many fans emphasized that Argentina’s real victory was their 2-1 victory over England in the semi-finals, which was played against the backdrop of a protracted dispute between the two countries over the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands.
Leonardo Barrientos, 36, who works at a textile factory, said: “This team has brought us all together and we should be grateful for that. Rain or shine, we will always be there for them. We are grateful to Messi and we want to thank him for giving his all.”
Maria Ortiz, 28, who came to welcome the team with her two-year-old child, said Spain “deserved to win” but said she was “happy with what the team gave us.”
Dejected by the loss, thousands of Argentines headed to the traditional celebration site at Buenos Aires’ Obelisk, where they partied for hours on Sunday night, setting off fireworks and thanking their team.
Brief clashes broke out at the monument late at night, and police used water cannon, tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the rioters. According to police sources, 15 people were detained.
