Lionel Messi is en route home to Argentina less than 24 hours after he helped guide his country to World Cup glory and seal his place in footballing immortality.
The 35-year-old took to Instagram to inform his 399 million followers that the Alibiceleste are on their way by posing with football's most coveted trophy while sitting on the plane donning his national team training jumper. His team-mate and fellow goal-scorer during the final Angel Di Maria uploaded a similar snap.
In what was arguably the most dramatic World Cup final of all time, Argentina played out a 3-3 draw with France that saw two of the best on the planet in Messi and Kylian Mbappe go head to head on the biggest stage of all.
The duo did not disappoint, with Messi netting a brace either side of Di Maria's strike put Argentina 2-0 up, while Mbappe became just the second player in history to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final. The clash went to penalties, with both Messi and Mbappe scoring in the shoot-out.
Following misses from Ousmane Dembele and Aurelien Tchouameni, Gonzalo Montiel stepped up to take the decisive kick and send Argentine fans around the globe into raptures as Lionel Scaloni's side secured the third World Cup title in their history.
Nicolas Otamendi continued the trend of celebratory plane-pictures, uploading a shot of him beaming from ear to ear while produly holding the trophy. Late last night, the former Manchester City centre-back also took to Instagram to share a picture of him in what looked to be a hotel room kissing the World Cup.
While emotions were still running high late on Sunday evening, Messi uploaded a series of pictures of him holding the one trophy that had eluded him for so long alongside a moving, lengthy caption.
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CHAMPIONS OF THE WORLD!!!!!!!," the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner's message wrote. "So many times I dreamed it, so much I wanted it that I still don't fall, I can't believe it...... Thank you so much to my family, to all who support me and also to all who believed in us.
"We prove once again that Argentinians when we fight together and united we are able to achieve what we aim. The merit is of this group, which is above individuals, is the strength of all fighting for the same dream that was also the one of all Argentinians... We did it!!!
"LET'S GO ARGENTINA DAMN!!!!! We're seeing you very soon."
The post amassed a remarkable 45 million likes in just 18 hours, boasting comments from a number of players praising Messi's part to play in the triumph.
