Superstar Lionel Messi took a private plane from the national team’s base to his hometown of Rosario to visit his mother on Mother’s Day in Argentina on the afternoon of October 15.

According to Infobae, Messi practiced with the whole team at the headquarters in Ezeiza on the morning of October 15 then asked coach Scaloni for permission to go to his hometown of Rosario, Santa Fe province, more than two hours away by flight to visit his mother – Celia. The veteran striker took a private plane to Rosario, spent a few hours with loved ones, and celebrated Mother’s Day, the source said.

Messi (second from left) arrives at the airport in Santa Fe when visiting his mother. Photo: Infobae

Journalist Mauro Yasprizza shared some pictures of Messi at the airport when he landed at 1pm. The Argentine superstar and his mother still meet regularly in Miami, USA, where he is playing, but being with his mother on the special day is still important to Messi, Infobae commented.

Lionel Messi was born into a family of four brothers. The 2022 World Cup champion is the third child, with two brothers and a sister. While Messi’s eldest brother Rodrigo is a self-made millionaire, his second brother Matias has a “bad” past, having repeatedly gotten into trouble with the law. Maria’s younger sister is a fashion designer. Dad is also Messi’s representative. The 36-year-old superstar is introverted and attached to his family.

Messi and his mother. Photo: Instagram Lionel Messi

Before returning to visit his mother, Messi was seen practicing normally with his teammates. The fact that captain Messi has recovered is considered good news for Argentina. The 36-year-old striker was said to have physical problems and had to leave the field early in the match against Ecuador on September 8 and then sat out for more than two weeks, unable to play in the next few matches for Argentina and Inter Miami.

As planned, coach Scaloni will have a press conference this afternoon before flying with the entire team to Lima, Peru, at 4:00 p.m. It is expected that the Argentine players will arrive in Peru at 8:00 p.m. to prepare for the match against the host in the fourth match of the 2026 World Cup qualifier on October 18. Argentina won all three previous matches, topping the rankings.

Messi (third from left) with his parents, two brothers and sister. Photo: Instagram Lionel Messi