Argentine newspaper La Nacion revealed that Lionel Messi, captain of the Argentine national football team, and his teammate Rodrigo De Paul did not accompany the Albiceleste squad on the return trip to their country, following the loss of the 2026 World Cup final early Monday to the Spanish national team. According to the same newspaper, Messi and De Paul headed directly to the American city of Miami, while the Argentine national team squad left for the capital Buenos Aires, preparing to receive fans and conclude official commitments related to participation in the tournament. Meanwhile, the Argentine Football Association announced the list of players who left with the delegation to Argentina, including Emiliano Martinez, Julian Alvarez, Enzo Fernandez, Lisandro Martinez, Cristian Romero, Lautaro Martinez, Nahuel Molina, Alexis Mac Allister, Leandro Paredes, Nicolas Tagliafico, Gonzalo Montiel, Giovani Lo Celso, Exequiel Palacios, Giuliano Simeone, and Nicolas Otamendi. The Argentine national team ended its journey in the 2026 World Cup with a loss in the final match against the Spanish national team, settling for second place, amid sadness among fans and players, especially with the uncertainty surrounding the future of a number of team stars, most notably Lionel Messi.