Lionel Messi's wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, and their children were escorted from MetLife Stadium by security following Argentina's loss in the World Cup Final. The family's departure came after a 1-0 defeat to Spain on Sunday, which saw Argentina manage only two shots on goal during 120 minutes of play.
Messi himself was seen in tears on the pitch after the match, a moment that echoed his emotional reaction to the 2016 Copa America Centenario Final. As Messi and his teammates did not speak to the media, Roccuzzo and their sons made their way through the crowd, with security intervening as journalists attempted to approach them. Roccuzzo was seen holding hands with her son Mateo, who was visibly upset and wiping his eyes with his father's kit.
This World Cup final marked another significant heartbreak for Messi, who had participated in arguably his best international tournament performance. Despite his efforts, he did not secure any individual awards, with Kylian Mbappe's performance in the third-place game earning him the Golden Boot and Spain's Rodri receiving the Golden Ball.
Following the match, Messi shared his feelings on Instagram, expressing the profound pain of the World Cup final loss. He wrote, "The pain is immense, and this wound will take time to heal. But I also hold onto all the good things... The matches we turned around by giving it our all—moments that will remain in our memories forever—and the support of an entire country which, combined with this group's hard work and effort, brought us back among the world's elite once again."
He also acknowledged the team's achievement of reaching two consecutive World Cup finals and thanked supporters for their messages. Messi congratulated Spain on their victory. While he has not officially announced his retirement from international play, this tournament is widely believed to be his last World Cup. His future participation in friendlies, CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifying, or the 2028 Copa America remains uncertain.