Baghdad: Thousands of fans braved the cold and rain to give the Argentine national football team a hero's welcome upon their return from the United States without their captain and legend, Lionel Messi, despite the disappointment of losing the 2026 World Cup final and relinquishing the world title to Spain.
According to National Iraqi News Agency, this homecoming wasn't what Argentinians had hoped for, four years after millions celebrated their team's victory in the 2022 tournament, but scenes of raucous joy filled the streets as fans danced, sang, and set off fireworks to thank the players. The Argentine Football Association announced that some members of the team would not be on the flight, and the legendary captain, Messi, was not seen disembarking in the images broadcast by local television.
Coach Lionel Scaloni and the rest of the team were greeted with a red carpet outside the plane, accompanied by a military band playing a welcoming tune. They then boarded a bus, waving to enthusiastic fans along the way. Argentina lost to Spain 1-0 after extra time in a match that drew criticism in international media due to numerous errors and a lack of sportsmanship from some players.
Many fans felt Argentina's true victory was their 2-1 win over England in the semi-final, especially given the ongoing dispute between the two countries over sovereignty of the Falkland Islands. Some even carried flags proclaiming "The Falklands are Argentinian." FIFA opened an investigation into the Argentinian team after their players displayed a banner with this slogan following the victory over England, sparking outrage in London.
Messi expressed his "very deep pain" on his Instagram account in his first statement after the final, which took place on Sunday in East Rutherford, near New York. The veteran star, who was in tears after the defeat, wrote, "The pain is very deep, and it's difficult to heal this wound. But I also remember the positives."
The former Barcelona player added, "It's difficult today to truly appreciate what we have achieved, but this team has reached two consecutive World Cup finals." Messi spoke of the thrilling victories against England and Egypt, which "will remain etched in our memories forever," and of "the support of the entire country," which allowed the Albiceleste to "once again be among the best teams in the world."
He added, "Once again, we succeeded in uniting as one nation, in being all together, sharing the immense pride of being Argentinian." Messi did not address his future with the national team in his message. The Rosario native scored eight goals during the tournament, but failed to make his mark in the final, just as his national team was unable to threaten the more organized Spanish side.
In the World Cup, Messi has lost two finals (2014 and 2026) but won one title in 2022 against France. Despite the disappointment of the loss, thousands of Argentinians flocked to the famous Obelisk Square in Buenos Aires, where all celebrations related to the national team take place, to continue celebrating late into Sunday night. Limited clashes broke out at the memorial, and police used water cannons, tear gas, and rubber bullets to disperse the celebrants. According to police sources, 15 people were arrested.