Lionel Messi has made his first public appearance since Argentina’s painful defeat to Spain in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, emerging in Rosario less than a week after his hopes of lifting back-to-back world titles were ended. The Argentina captain was spotted on Saturday watching Leones FC, the club run by his family, face Central Córdoba de Rosario in a Primera C match at the Antonio Di Giacomo Stadium in Arroyo Seco, near his hometown of Rosario.
Messi kept a low profile during the outing, wearing a black jacket with the hood pulled over his head as he watched from a balcony area of the stadium with his sons Thiago, Mateo and Ciro.
However, his presence soon attracted attention. A video shared on social media showed Messi leaning over the balcony as supporters called out to him. The 39-year-old smiled and raised his hand to acknowledge the crowd, offering fans their first public glimpse of him since Argentina’s World Cup heartbreak.
Messi returns to public view after World Cup agony
Messi had largely stayed away from the spotlight since Argentina were beaten 1-0 by Spain after extra time in the World Cup final on July 19. Ferran Torres scored the decisive goal in the 106th minute at the New York New Jersey Stadium as Spain denied Argentina the chance to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to successfully defend the World Cup. The victory handed Spain their second world title.
Messi left the stadium following the defeat and did not return to Argentina with the main national-team delegation. He instead arrived back in Rosario with his family on a private flight during the week and remained away from public view before Saturday’s appearance.
The defeat carried added emotional weight because of the uncertainty surrounding Messi’s international future. At 39, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner had potentially played his final World Cup match, although he has yet to formally announce whether he will continue representing Argentina. Messi addressed the defeat through social media after the final, admitting that the pain of losing the title would take time to overcome while also expressing pride in Argentina reaching successive World Cup finals.
His return to the stands in Arroyo Seco, therefore, marked a noticeably quieter setting after the intensity of the World Cup. Leones FC are particularly close to the Messi family, with the club presided over by his brother Matías Messi and currently competing in Argentina’s fourth tier.
There was no winning return for Messi on this occasion either. Leones suffered a 2-0 defeat to Central Córdoba, with Marcos Córdoba and Franco Fernández scoring the goals. After the match, Messi came down from the terrace alongside his children as supporters gathered around the stadium. He acknowledged the crowd, crossed the pitch and then left in his vehicle – ending nearly a week away from public view following one of the most painful nights of his international career.
