The girlfriend of Argentine defender Marcos Senesi has revealed an exceptional gift that Lionel Messi handed to every Argentina player days before the World Cup final. It was a gesture that captured the collective spirit running through the squad on their march to the world title.
Kelsey Rose Bowers, Senesi's girlfriend and an English footballer, posted a video on social media showing off the specially designed mate set the defender received from his captain.
Wearing the Argentina shirt, Bowers held up a brown bag bearing the logo of the Argentine Football Association, an image of the World Cup and the name "Marcos Senesi" printed across it. "I want to show you something really amazing, you'll love it," she said. "This is a personal bag that Marcos won in the tournament, with his name written on it."
A gift with a personal touch
The gift, Bowers explained, came from Messi to all the players. Inside the bag sat a gold-coloured Stanley flask, a luxury thermal container for hot water from the famous Stanley brand, stamped with the trademark logo of the Tango captain. There was also a mate gourd, the traditional vessel for drinking mate, a bundle of yerba mate, the dried leaves used to prepare the drink, and a metal straw fitted with a built-in spoon and a filter at its end.
Senesi handed the set to his girlfriend to keep it safe and carry it to Miami, where he currently lives.
The video spread quickly across social media, lifting the lid on one of the hidden details from inside the Argentina camp after their World Cup coronation. Messi chose the mate gourd as a symbol of one of Argentina's most cherished customs, a daily ritual that draws the players together and strengthens the bond between them.