Lionel Messi and world champion team spark a revolution in La Paz

Lionel Messi’s presence and Argentina 2022 World Championships in Qatar It sparked a revolution in La Paz, with hundreds of fans waiting for hours to see the players. Lionel Scaloni’s side left the Royal Camino Hotel for the first time to train at the strongest club, with hundreds of Messi and national team fans stationed for photos.

Argentina will play Bolivia in its second game of 2026 World Cup qualifying on Tuesday at 5:00 p.m.

The hotel is located in the Calocoto area, south of La Paz, and security operations are tight, causing traffic chaos. Police blocked off one side of General José Balivian Avenue, while the other side was half occupied by fans standing along a fence.

After several hours of waiting, the team left the hotel at 3:45 pm local time (one hour less than Argentina time) and headed to training scheduled for 4 pm at the Strongest Stadium.

Despite fans complaining that the bus restricted their view, the players left the hotel and spent a few seconds in front of the cameras of hundreds of mobile phones. Messi, who was joined by Rodrigo De Paul and Ángel Di María, gave a small greeting to the fans and fulfilled the dream of fans who had been waiting for hours for the team to leave.

Unlike his arrival on Sunday night, the footballer did not have in hand the personal oxygen tubes recommended by the team’s medical team for this visit to La Paz.

Before Argentina left the hotel, a strange situation occurred as the Bolivia team’s bus passed through the same open road on its way to the Hernando Siles Stadium for its final training session, which will take place on Tuesday.

In a friendly atmosphere and laughter, fans wearing Albiceleste or Inter Miami jerseys began singing songs in support of the Bolivian team.

Minutes later, however, the focus was once again on the Argentina captain, who, on his 36-year-old son Mateo’s eighth birthday, was fulfilling the dream of many other Bolivian children.