Lionel Messi has seemingly put to bed any talk of trouble in the Argentina camp13:21, 27 Jul 2026Lionel Messi has crushed any notion of discord in the Argentina squad after he gifted his team-mates presents after their World Cup final defeat to Spain. The revelation comes courtesy of Kelci-Rose Bowers, the English partner of Argentina and Spurs defender Marcos Senesi.‌Bowers, 22, a footballer in her own right, took to TikTok to show off the items Messi gave to his colleagues. First, she showed off a caramel-coloured bag with her partner’s name, the Argentina badge and the World Cup logo emblazoned on it.‌The Inter Miami star also gave his team a golden Stanley Cup engraved with his own logo, along with a separate cup. All the items are believed to facilitate mate, a popular South American drink‌Bowers said she had been tasked with keeping the luxury gift "safe" by her partner, adding that it was "pretty cool that I’ve got it".Theories over a potential issue distracting Argentina players in the World Cup final were sparked after footage emerged of Messi's strange pre-match speech. The rumours were given credence with Argentina clearly subpar in the 1-0 loss to Spain.JOIN US ON FACEBOOK! Latest news, analysis and much more on Mirror Football's Facebook page‌Footage from inside the tunnel before the game showed Argentina players emerging from their dressing room. Messi was captured saying: "Come on, boys, let's forget what happened, as if nothing had happened."Manchester United’s Lisandro Martinez and Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez were two players in the background of the video, appearing visibly upset. The latter was sent off, while Martinez went off injured.‌Scenes after the game, with Argentina players becoming embroiled in several brawls with their opponents, also seemed to hint at some underlying anger bubbling over.Yet Messi's gifts seem to suggest all is well in the camp. Despite Bowers hailing from Fareham, Hampshire, and even playing for the Lionesses, the defender was spotted wearing Argentina-affiliated clothing at several matches throughout this summer's tournament as she supported Senesi.Her pivot to supporting England’s great and historical rivals has been controversial, given her past. In 2022, Bowers played for her country at under-21 level and posted a photo of herself lining up for the English women's national side, captioning it: "Always an honour to wear this shirt."‌She was present in the stands for Argentina's victory over England in the semi-finals. However, while she celebrated with her boyfriend after the final whistle, she reinforced her allegiance to England in her Instagram story, posting: "Proud of my country."‌She recently told The Times: "I grew up wearing an England shirt and had the privilege of representing England, so that connection will always be incredibly strong."[But] when your partner is playing in one of the biggest games of his career, naturally you want him to do well too. I'll be supporting Marcos personally while still feeling incredibly proud whenever I see England on a stage like this. I'm incredibly proud of him.‌"Supporting Argentina, embracing the culture in Argentina and posting on my social media wearing the Argentina shirt is something that I've been doing. And I don't really feel like there's anything wrong with that."After a period in the USA playing for Louisiana State University, Bowers returned to the UK, settling in Portsmouth. She then joined Bournemouth, where she met former Cherries centre-half Senesi, but has since left the South Coast-based club.Senesi moved to Spurs on a free transfer this summer. The centre-back was a late recruit to Argentina’s World Cup squad after Leonardo Balerdi was ruled out through injury.Article continues belowJoin our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.