Lionel Messi, the captain of the Argentinian national football team, presented each of his teammates with personalized gifts following their victory in the World Cup. The presents included custom backpacks, golden Stanley water bottles, and mate sets, a traditional South American herbal drink.
One of the recipients was defender Marcos Senesi, whose girlfriend, Kelci-Rose Bowers, shared details of the gifts on social media. Bowers, who is English, supported her boyfriend at the World Cup. Senesi and Bowers met while playing for Bournemouth. He has since transferred to Tottenham.
Senesi's backpack was personalized with his name and included compartments for mate ingredients and a cup. The gesture from Messi, who was 35 at the time of the World Cup and is now 39, came after Argentina's victory in the final. Some teammates, including Leandro Paredes, had indicated that the final match might have been Messi's last for the national team. Nicolas Otamendi has already stepped away from international duty following the tournament.
Messi himself posted on Instagram after the loss, expressing the immense pain of the result but also acknowledging the team's effort and the support of the country. He highlighted reaching two consecutive World Cup finals and the pride of being Argentine. He also congratulated Spain on their championship win.
This was not the first time Messi had considered retiring from international play; he initially retired in 2016 but returned. Since his return, he has won the Copa América twice and the World Cup in 2022.
Bowers's video showcasing the gifts garnered significant attention online. The couple had to cut their holiday short in Dubai when Senesi received a last-minute call-up to the Argentina squad due to an injury to Leonardo Balerdi. Bowers documented Senesi's reaction to receiving the call, explaining that they were about to go to dinner when he received the news.
Senesi's call-up was a reward for his performance at Bournemouth, where he helped the team secure a sixth-place finish in the Premier League, qualifying for the Europa League. He had made limited appearances for Argentina prior to the World Cup, with only three caps to his name. During the tournament, he played in two matches, including a late substitute appearance in the final.