The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner touched down on a private flight from Miami late on Saturday with his wife Antonela Roccuzzo and their children.

A private ceremony with close family and a few Argentina teammates took place at a cemetery in the town of Perez, adjacent to Rosario, later Sunday.

The gates of the town's El Prado cemetery displayed handwritten messages from fans -- "Stay strong, Leo, we love you" and "Stay strong, Messi family" -- alongside a large floral wreath.

Messi's teammates rallied around their captain following the announcement that Jorge Messi had passed away late Friday at a clinic in Rosario.