Lionel Messi, captain of the Argentina national football team, arrived in his country on Tuesday to spend a period of rest with his family in Rosario, his hometown, after losing the 2026 World Cup final to Spain on Sunday, according to local sources. The 39-year-old, who was not among the group returning from the United States to Buenos Aires on a plane on Monday, arrived in Rosario on a private flight at 6:30 a.m. local time (9:30 GMT), accompanied by his wife Antonela and their three children, according to a source in the government of Santa Fe province who preferred not to reveal his identity. Sports network ESPN released a video showing Messi inside a gray SUV as he entered a gated residential complex in Funes, on the outskirts of Rosario, where he owns a home he usually stays in when returning to his hometown. Messi's arrival in Argentina coincides with the health problems of his father Jorge, who also manages his business. Part of the Argentine national team arrived in Buenos Aires on Monday, accompanied by coach Lionel Scaloni and technical staff, where thousands of fans welcomed them, waving Argentine flags despite the disappointment of losing the world title by losing the final on Sunday to Spain 1-0 after extra time in East Rutherford, near New York. The rest of the players went directly to other cities to join their clubs. Despite being 39 years old, Messi scored eight goals and provided four assists in the tournament, in which his team showed great ability to come back, as happened against Egypt in the round of 16 (3-2 after trailing 0-2) and England (2-1 after trailing until the 85th minute). But the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner failed to leave his mark on the final, like the rest of the team, who were outperformed by the European champions in organization and collective performance. After the match, Messi shed tears after receiving the runner-up medal, before turning to Instagram on Monday to say, "The pain is immense, and it will be difficult for this wound to heal. But I also keep all the positive aspects." The former Barcelona star added, "It's hard today to truly appreciate what we achieved, but this team reached two consecutive World Cup finals." Messi also congratulated Spain on winning the title. Messi spoke about the thrilling victories over England and Egypt, saying, "They will remain etched in our memory forever," and about the support of an entire country, which allowed La Albiceleste to be again among the best teams in the world. He added, "Once again, we managed to unite as one nation, and be all together, sharing the immense pride of being Argentine." In the World Cup, Messi lost two finals (2014 and 2026) compared to one title in 2022 against France. Messi did not address his future with the Argentine national team in his message.