Lionel Messi arrived back in Argentina on Tuesday for a few days of rest following the World Cup final loss to Spain.
Messi’s private jet landed near his hometown of Rosario in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at 6:27 a.m. Although many fans were waiting with signs and flags, he did not make a public appearance.
Supporters only caught a brief glimpse of the SUV that met Messi on the tarmac to transport him and his family to the private neighborhood of Funes, roughly 300 kilometers (185 miles) north of Buenos Aires.
The Argentina captain reportedly traveled with his wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, and their three children, all of whom had accompanied him throughout the tournament in North America. Waiting for him in Rosario was his 68-year-old father, Jorge, whose ongoing medical treatment for an undisclosed illness had been disclosed by the family during the World Cup.
Fans had gathered at the airport as early as 3:30 a.m. hoping to catch a sight of the star. Among them were two young girls in Albiceleste jerseys holding welcome signs, one of which read: “Messi: You’re a legend. Thank you for bringing joy to our hearts. A whole country loves you!”
Messi is expected to rejoin Inter Miami in late July or early August for the ongoing MLS season.
Fifteen members of Argentina’s 26-player World Cup roster, led by head coach Lionel Scaloni, landed at Buenos Aires’ Ezeiza Airport on Monday on a chartered flight.
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The squad’s arrival follows Sunday’s 1–0 extra-time loss to Spain in the World Cup final in East Rutherford, New Jersey, decided by a Ferran Torres goal.
The match marked Messi’s third World Cup final appearance following 2014 and 2022. He ended the tournament as the runner-up for the Golden Boot with eight goals, two behind France’s Kylian Mbappé.
Mbappé tops the all-time World Cup goalscoring chart with 22, one more than Messi.
Reporting by The Associated Press.