Argentina's players have decided against any homecoming celebrations after returning from the World Cup, President Javier Milei has revealed, in the wake of their 1-0 defeat to Spain in the final.
Speaking during an interview with the LN+ network, Milei explained that the squad were offered six different celebrations but turned them all down, weighed down by the sadness of losing the final.
The Argentine President said: "The players were given the option of holding six different celebrations. But, clearly, and because of the sadness caused to them by their inability to win the final, they decided not to hold any celebrations."
Milei had spent recent days dangling the offer of a reception at the presidential palace, the "Casa Rosada", the seat of the executive branch, should Argentina lift the trophy. Once Sunday's defeat sank in, he switched to proposing a national holiday so the players could mark their runners-up finish alongside the fans. That plan, too, will now come to nothing.
Asked about the decision by Lionel Messi and several other players not to fly home on Monday with the rest of the delegation, Milei called for "respect for the decision taken by the players". He also turned to Messi directly: "I don't think this is a moment when he feels comfortable, and this must also be taken into consideration."
"I think we have a great deal to thank Messi for, because of all the wonderful things he has given on the pitch. And for us, those of us who love football, there are no words to describe it," he added, hailing the forward as "the best player of all time".
Second place at a World Cup still counts as "a huge achievement" in Milei's eyes. He praised the way Argentina's players "always took up stances and behaved in a measured manner throughout the tournament, even in the moments when the referees took incorrect positions towards the Argentina national team in some matches, as they responded in a very measured and organised way, and they were always distinguished by fighting until the end".
Turning to the defeat itself, Milei said: "The match was extremely difficult for us on Sunday, and yet Argentina could have grabbed an equaliser in the final minutes, even though the run of play was not at all favourable to Argentina," describing the Spain national team as "a formidable opponent".
Some of the players and members of the technical staff touched down in Argentina on Monday. They were greeted by the strains of the famous supporters' song "Muchachos", played by the Grenadier Guards band of the Argentine army.