Lionel Messi seen in public for the first time since World Cup final loss

Lionel Messi suffered a heartbreaking defeat to Spain in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final last Sunday in what was probably his final match at the World Cup.

A week later, the Argentine legend was spotted in public for the first time since the loss in his hometown Rosario as he watched a fourth division match from the stands.

Lionel Messi was spotted watching a football match in Rosario, Argentina

Football legend Lionel Messi carried Argentina all the way to their second consecutive World Cup final after producing a phenomenal performance throughout the tournament at the age of 39. However, his efforts fell short in the Final against Spain and the reigning champions had to suffer a 1-0 loss.

Messi has been largely quite since the difficult loss. He made a singular post on Instagram expressing the pain and thanking his teammates and fans. He did not accompany the rest of the Argentina team back to his country after the tournament and returned to his hometown Rosario on his own.

Now, on Saturday, July 25, 2026 Messi was finally seen in public attending a Primera C match between Leones de Rosario and Central Cordoba. He was accompanied by his son, Mateo Messi. The Inter Miami star was wearing a heavy jacket and had the hood on but fans made no mistake in recognising him.

Lionel Messi attends a Leones de Rosario match

The Leones de Rosario is a club that founded by Messi's family back in 2015 and is run by the Argentina captain's brother, Matias Messi. The Messi Family owned club plays in the fourth division of Argentine domestic football, known as Primera C.

While it is not unexpected for Lionel Messi to pay a visit and watch the match, it is definitely not something that happens regularly so fans were right to be pleasantly surprised when they saw one of the greatest footballers ever to be among them.

For more updates, join/follow our WhatsApp, Telegram and YouTube channels.