Argentina came home to a red carpet and a regimental band playing their Qatar anthem. Messi wasn't there to hear it.
The squad touched down in Buenos Aires without their captain, who flew directly to Miami after Sunday's 0-1 World Cup final loss to Spain in New Jersey. From there, he's reportedly heading to Rosario for a few days. You can't blame him for not wanting to face the cameras.
A welcome with the volume turned down
The government organised what it called a "ceremonial welcome" at the airport — guard of honour, red carpet, military band belting out "Muchachos, Ahora Nos Volvimos a Ilusionar." The song that became the heartbeat of Argentina's 2022 triumph in Qatar now soundtracked a very different kind of arrival.
President Javier Milei made a point of keeping politicians away from the occasion, saying he didn't want anyone hijacking the moment. The result was a reception that felt deliberately low-key — respectful, but stripped of any real celebration. No senior officials showed up. Smart call, given the mood.
The holiday Milei had floated in the immediate aftermath of the defeat was quietly shelved. It had been conditional on a request from the players and coaching staff. They didn't ask. That says everything about how this squad is processing the result.
Key players already gone
Several of the most important names in Scaloni's squad didn't even make the flight to Buenos Aires. Enzo Fernández, Lautaro Martínez, Julián Álvarez, and Rodrigo De Paul all travelled directly from the United States back to their clubs or off on personal breaks. The team that was supposed to be celebrated barely assembled in the same place.
For a squad that had built real momentum heading into this tournament, losing a World Cup final hurts differently than an early exit. The window for this generation isn't closed, but it's narrowing — and right now, the bus back to Ezeiza through the rain, past fans lining the roadside despite the weather, is as good as the homecoming gets.
