In a climate crossed by the pain of truncated hope but surrounded by deep and unconditional respect, the Argentine National Team touched home soil this Monday after becoming runner-up in the United States, Mexico and Canada 2026 World Cup.
The Aerolíneas Argentinas charter flight from New York landed at 06:19 at Ezeiza International Airport, marking the final chapter of an epic tournament that concluded on Sunday with Spain’s tight 1-0 victory at MetLife Stadium.
Unlike the multitudinous and unforgettable reception after the glory obtained in Qatar 2022, the return of the delegation occurred partially and without the presence of its great emblem.
Lionel Messi was not part of the contingent that traveled to Buenos Aires. The captain, who suffered muscle discomfort during overtime of the decisive match, left directly from American soil for Miami with Rodrigo De Paul to begin his rest period.
Likewise, a significant number of footballers based in European football undertook direct connections to the Old Continent to define their vacations before rejoining their respective clubs.
A small group of sixteen footballers – among whom were leaders such as Emiliano “Dibu” Martínez, Nicolás Otamendi, Leandro Paredes, Alexis Mac Allister and Gonzalo Montiel – disembarked in the private flights sector accompanied by the technical director Lionel Scaloni and the rest of the coaching staff.
Although the Argentine Football Association (AFA) officially suspended any caravan or mass event on public roads, hundreds of flagged fans were stationed on the Riccheri highway and at the entrances to the air terminal.
With songs, applause and flags, people sought to offer warm thanks to the team.
After completing the immigration procedures, the National Team boarded a bus. However, in the presence of the fans, the players preferred to use a convertible to greet the people who were on the road grounds, before arriving at the AFA headquarters in Ezeiza.
The fall against the Spanish team in the 106th minute of extra time left a thorn in the national locker room, but the value of having reached two world finals in a row is beginning to settle in the collective analysis.
In a brief statement to the media present before leaving the airport, Scaloni reflected the general feeling of the group.
“It is a difficult moment because we were very close and the effort of the boys was enormous. The wound is open, but when the pain passes, this group will realize how enormous it is to have played in another world final. We are proud of how they defended the shirt,” he commented.
