The Argentine men’s national football team arrived in Buenos Aires on Monday after their 1-0 loss in the 2026 World Cup final against Spain. Despite the loss, thousands of people moved to Buenos Aires’ Ministro Pistarini (Ezeiza) international airport to welcome the players. Aeropuertos Argentina, the company that manages Argentina’s airport infrastructure, painted a 150-meter-long message on the runway, visible from the air, with the word Gracias (Thank You) in giant letters.
“We came here from San Juan,” said one of the fans in attendance to TV outlet TN. “It was a nine-hour trip” After greeting the pilots and flight attendants, the first player to disembark was team vice captain Nicolás Otamendi, accompanied by head coach Lionel Scaloni and Argentine Football Association president Claudio Chiqui Tapia. Emiliano Dibu Martínez, Leandro Paredes, Lisandro Martínez, Alexis Mac Allister, Cristian Cuti Romero, Enzo Fernández, and Lautaro Martínez were among the biggest stars present.
None of Lionel Messi, Rodrigo De Paul, Julián Álvarez, Gerónimo Rulli, Nicolás Paz, Nahuel Molina and Juan Musso were on the return trip. Messi is expected to travel to Argentina on Wednesday to visit his family in Rosario. There was no official government welcome, but the team got an honorary tribute by the Regiment of Mounted Grenadiers, Argentina’s national ceremonial unit, who played an orchestral arrangement of Muchachos, Argentina’s iconic Qatar 2022 stadium chant.
After landing, the team took a direct trip to the Argentine Football Association (AFA) complex in Ezeiza. They moved in two buses, with the players waving and greeting fans from a roofless car similar to the one used after their Qatar 2022 win, under a police escort. La entrada World Cup squad arrives in Argentina with muted mood despite fan acclaim se publicó primero en Buenos Aires Herald.
Argentina's Ambassador expressed gratitude to Indian football fans for their support. The Albiceleste reached the FIFA World Cup final but lost to Spain. Ferran Torres scored the decisive goal in extra time for Spain.
Emiliano Martinez made several crucial saves for the Argentine team. This gesture highlights the strong connection between India and Argentine football.
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