Argentina returned home on Monday evening to celebrate their successful Copa América title defence with thousands of fans but captain Lionel Messi did not join his teammates in Buenos Aires.
Led by coach Lionel Scaloni and veteran winger Ángel Di María, who played in his last game for Argentina in Sunday’s 1-0 victory to Colombia, the team arrived to a firework display and thousands of fans celebrating their 16th Copa América win.
Messi remained in Miami, where the final was played, to have treatment on a right ankle injury picked up in the game.
The Inter Miami forward gave an update of his condition on Instagram: “The Copa América is over and the first thing I want is to thank everyone for the messages and greetings.
“I’m fine, thank God, and I hope I can soon be on the pitch again enjoying what I like to do most. I am happy, very happy, especially because we achieved the goal we had and Fide [Di Maria] leaves us but with another Cup.
“The older ones, like him, [Nicolás] Ota [Otamendi] or me, experienced it [Copa América] with special emotion, with other teammates who have already played several tournaments and added their experience as well, and with a group of young people who give their all in every ball.”
Messi lifted Argentina’s third consecutive major trophy in a row on Sunday, after winning the Copa in 2021 and the World Cup in 2022.
It was also Argentina’s record 16th Copa America title. “We are a team and also a family, a spectacular group,” Messi wrote. “Thanks to everyone who supported us, this national team has a lot of present and a lot of future too.”