Getty Lionel Messi is welcomed home by wife Antonella Roccuzzo
Barcelona captain Lionel Messi enjoyed a touching reunion with wife Antonela Roccuzzo on his return to Argentina on Sunday after leading the national team to victory at the Copa America in Brazil.
Argentina won the game 1-0 to end a 28-year wait for a trophy and record a famous win over their rivals. The team returned home following the victory and Messi was met straight off the plane by his wife who leapt straight into her husband’s arms, as shown by ESPN’s Moises Llorens.
Messi ya llegó a Rosario. Allí le esperaba su familia, con su mujer en primera línea. Así lo contaron y se vio en @SportsCenter_nt @SC_ESPN
There was also a warm welcome for Messi when he returned home and caught up with his children.
The win is also Messi’s first senior international trophy with Argentina and prompted wild celebrations after the final whistle in Brazil. Messi was thrown in the air by his team-mates and then lifted the trophy in front of the delighted Argentina squad.
Messi also called his family during the celebrations and was spotting happily chatting to Antonela and his three children on the pitch, as shown by Fox Soccer.
Messi called his family to celebrate Argentina’s Copa America win 📱❤️
(via @CopaAmerica)
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Messi’s Sons Celebrate Famous Victory
Messi’s children were happy to join in the celebrations after seeing their father help win a 15th Copa America title for Argentina. The 34-year-old’s young sons Thiago, Mateo and Ciro were shown chanting with delight in a video posted on Instagram by Antonela.
The tournament has seen players from all squads spend a lot of time away from their families. The Copa America was initially set to take place in Argentina but was moved to Brazil due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Messi admitted before Argentina’s win over Colombia in the semi-finals that it had been hard for players to spend so much time away from their loved ones, as reported by Mundo Albiceleste.
“We are very excited, happy, personally, I want to play one more, what I want most is to win a title with the national team but beyond lfiting the cup or not, I think I enjoyed these difficult 45 days without seeing my family,” he said. “Some of these guys are dads and couldn’t be present the day their kids were born, which is the most important thing in life. It’s all sacrifice, it’s strength for the goal and now here we are.”
Martinez Missed Birth of Daughter
One player in particular who has missed out is Argentina goalkeeper Emi Martinez. The Aston Villa stopper also played a key role for Lionel Scaloni’s side despite having to miss his daughter’s birth to play in the tournament.
The stopper, who was key to the semi-final win over Colombia on penalties, explained how the situation had made him stronger, as shown by reporter Roy Nemer.
Emiliano Martinez: “I knew I wasn’t going to be present for the birth of my daughter and that made me stronger. I worked with my psychologist to dedicate myself 100% to the Argentina national team. The captain helped me a lot and I am enjoying it.”
Martinez kept four clean sheets at the tournament to become the first Argentina goalkeeper to win the Golden Glove award, according to Squawka Football.
The goalkeeper also said that Messi had helped inspire him, as reported by Mundo Albiceleste. “The captain told me that today you gave me the Cup… When he wrote on his Twitter, he put a picture with me, that gave me strength. I have a daughter I haven’t hugged yet.”
Messi and his family can now enjoy a well-deserved holiday after a long season for both club and country. The captain, who had previously lost four finals with Argentina, also told reporters that this year things would be a bit different after an international tournament. He explained, “We always had to spend the first few days of the holidays sad, having not won anything, but this time it’s different.”
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WATCH: Messi’s Epic Reunion With Family After Copa America Win