Messis golden mate gift to Argentina team revealed after World Cup triumph

Lionel Messi bought personalised golden mate sets for every Argentina player as a unifying gift in the days before the 2022 World Cup final, it has emerged through a video posted by the partner of defender Marcos Senesi.

Kelsey Rose Powers, an English footballer and Senesi’s girlfriend, shared footage on social media showing the bespoke “mate kit” the defender received from the Argentina captain during the tournament in Qatar.

In the clip, Powers appears wearing an Argentina shirt and holding a brown bag bearing the logo of the Argentine Football Association, an image of the World Cup trophy and the name “Marcos Senesi” printed on the front.

“I want to show you something really amazing that you’re going to love,” she says in the video. “This is a personal bag that Marcos won at the tournament, and his name is written on it.”

Personal touch from the captain

Powers explained that the gift was arranged and paid for by Messi for every member of the Argentina squad as a collective gesture before the final, underlining the sense of togetherness within the group on their way to becoming world champions.

Inside the bag was a gold-coloured Stanley thermos, a high-end insulated flask used to keep water hot, branded with Messi’s personal logo as captain of the “Albiceleste”.

The pack also included a traditional mate gourd, used to drink the herbal infusion that is a daily ritual in Argentina, along with a packet of yerba mate leaves and a metal straw, or “bombilla”, featuring an integrated spoon at one end to help filter the drink.

According to Powers, Senesi entrusted the full set to her so she could keep it safe and take it to Miami, where the defender is currently based.

Viral glimpse inside Argentina camp

The video spread quickly across social media platforms, offering fans a rare glimpse into the inner workings of the Argentina camp after their World Cup success.

The images highlighted how Messi used the mate gourd – one of the most recognisable symbols of Argentine culture – as more than just a practical item, but as a deliberate reference to a ritual that brings players together.

Within the national team, sharing mate is a daily custom that encourages conversation, closeness and team spirit. The revelation of these personalised kits has been interpreted by many supporters online as another example of the leadership style Messi showed during the tournament.

While the World Cup final itself in Qatar has long since passed, Powers’ video has added a new detail to the story of Argentina’s campaign, illustrating how small gestures from the captain contributed to a strong collective atmosphere in the squad during their run to the title.