Argentina's squad touched down at home on Monday with thousands of fans braving rain and cold to greet them, despite the team's 1-0 defeat to Spain in the World Cup final. The airport authority confirmed the players' arrival as supporters gathered outside the Argentine Football Association training facility near the airport.
Star player Lionel Messi did not appear to descend from the aircraft, based on images shown on local television broadcasts. The AFA had indicated beforehand that some team members would miss the flight.
Coach Lionel Scaloni and his squad received a military band welcome and red carpet treatment as they exited the plane. Fans wrapped themselves in Argentine flags and held blue-and-white umbrellas against the drizzle.
The homecoming differed sharply from four years earlier, when millions flooded the streets to celebrate Argentina's 2022 World Cup triumph. Still, many supporters turned out to thank the players for their efforts.
"Argentines will celebrate anyway," said Marga Ledezma, 36, a housewife who thanked Messi for "all the years he made us happy" and urged him to keep playing for his country. Ledezma acknowledged that critics targeted Argentina over numerous fouls and poor conduct during the final.
"I think they criticize us because we know what it's like to suffer, that we get up, we fall down again, and we keep going," she added.
Many fans pointed to Argentina's 2-1 semi-final victory over England as the real triumph, given the ongoing Falkland Islands sovereignty dispute between the nations. Leonardo Barrientos, 36, who works at a textile factory, said the squad "united us all" and deserved gratitude regardless of the final outcome.
"We will always be there for them, rain or shine. I would say thank you to Messi and that he gave it his all," Barrientos told reporters.
Maria Ortiz, 28, arrived with her two-year-old child and accepted Spain's victory while praising Argentina's contribution. "They deserved the win," she said of Spain, "but I'm happy for what the team gave us."
Despite the loss, thousands of Argentines gathered Sunday evening at the Obelisk monument in downtown Buenos Aires, celebrating with fireworks and cheering their team. The festivities lasted several hours.
Late that night, brief scuffles erupted at the site and police deployed water cannons, tear gas, and rubber bullets to clear the crowd. Police sources said officers detained 15 people during the disturbances.
