After Hectic Cup Parade, Messi Opts for ‘Quiet’ Christmas Celebratio

The Captain of Argentina to the last World Cup glory, Lionel Messi, ‘may avoid any more public appearances’ over Christmas as the country celebrate their World Cup win, with the star holed up in his Rosario home.

The victorious players returned home at the start of the week following Sunday’s dramatic win over France and were greeted by jubilant crowds in Buenos Aires.

Indeed, such was the boisterous nature of the celebrations, an open-top bus parade had to be abandoned after fans jumped onto it from bridges.

Messi and Angel di Maria both returned to their homes near Rosario by helicopter with the Paris Saint-Germain star then mobbed by fans as he arrived back at his home by car.

The Mayor of the city had offered a central location as a venue for the celebration event for Messi, Di Maria and Angel Correa, who is also from Rosario.

Clarin said, however, that growing rumours it would happen were quickly scotched.

Messi is expected to spend Christmas with family and friends at his house in Funes, about 15km west of Rosario, before returning to PSG duty.

The French league leaders return to action against Strasbourg on December 28 but it remains unclear whether Messi will be back in time.

Reports suggested he spent some of his time on Wednesday at home with Gabriel Heinze, the former Argentina and Manchester United defender who is now the manager of Newell’s Old Boys.

Video footage showed Messi’s car being swamped by adoring fans as he returned home with wife Antonella Roccuzzo following the abandoned victory parade in the capital Buenos Aires.

Upon his arrival, Messi was greeted by hundreds of cheering fans chanting ‘Dale Campeon’ translating to ‘Let’s go champion’.

The jubilant fans had been pushed to two sides by security to clear space for his wife to drive the car through the middle and inside a building.