India, July 22 -- Lionel Messi has returned to Argentina following the nation's painful defeat in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final, taking a short break with his family before resuming club duties with Inter Miami.

The Argentina captain arrived near his hometown of Rosario on Tuesday morning after traveling from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Despite dozens of supporters gathering at the airport in the early hours of the day, Messi avoided a public appearance and left directly for the private neighborhood of Funes, where he is expected to spend time with family and close friends.

Argentina's hopes of retaining the World Cup title ended on Sunday when Spain secured a 1-0 extra-time victory in the final at MetLife Stadium. Ferran Torres scored th...