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Fifa World Cup 2022
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Argentine football fans descend on the Obelisk monument in Buenos Aires on Tuesday for a parade to welcome back the Argentine team that won the Fifa World Cup tournament which was held in Qatar. Photo: AP

Sea of fans flood streets of Buenos Aires to try to catch glimpse of Argentina football team

  • Captain Lionel Messi and the team waved at fans from a bus as they carried the World Cup trophy aloft after securing the country’s third title in Qatar on Sunday
  • President Alberto Fernández declared a national holiday on Tuesday so the country could celebrate the Fifa World Cup victory

Argentina’s World Cup winners were forced to abandon their open-top bus parade around Buenos Aires due to the massive crowds and have instead embarked on a helicopter tour of the capital, the presidency said on Tuesday.

“The World Champions are flying over the parade route in helicopters because it was impossible to continue on the ground due to the explosion of popular joy,” presidential spokeswoman Gabriela Cerruti said on Twitter.

The bus had been crawling along the planned 30-km route towards the centre of the capital due to the huge numbers of Argentines who had lined the streets to celebrate their victory over France in the World Cup final.

Argentina’s Lionel Messi and teammates celebrate on the bus with the Fifa World Cup trophy during the victory parade in Buenos Aires, Argentina on Tuesday. Photo: Reuters

Millions of people had been gathering around various parade points in the capital since dawn in a bid to see their heroes in the flesh.

The largest congregation was at the iconic Obelisk monument in the centre of Buenos Aires that has for decades been the epicentre of sporting celebrations.

02:08

Street celebrations after Argentina beats France to lift third World Cup

Street celebrations after Argentina beats France to lift third World Cup

Claudio Tapia, president of the Argentine Football Association (AFA), blamed police for the decision to abandon the planned bus tour.

“They are not allowing us to go and greet all the people at the Obelisk,” said Tapia on Twitter.

“The same security agencies that escorted us are not allowing us to continue.

“Thousands of apologies in the name of all the champion players. It’s a shame.”

The Argentine football team are swarmed by fans as they travel on an open-top bus during their homecoming parade in Buenos Aires, Argentina on Tuesday. Photo: AP

The news emerged almost five hours after the team set off from the AFA training complex where they had briefly rested following their late-night arrival from Qatar.

Hundreds of people starting running towards the presidential palace on another city centre square amid rumours the players were heading there by helicopter.

As rumours circulated about a change in the bus route, a sea of people took over a motorway where the team was set to pass on the scorching summer day.

Thousands had set up camp since early on Tuesday morning at the Obelisk, the iconic Buenos Aires landmark that is the traditional site of celebrations. But as the number of people grew, it was unclear whether the bus would go there amid concern that it would not be able to pass safely.

Argentine football fans walk along the motorway on Tuesday as they wait for the arrival of Argentina’s national football team after winning the Fifa World Cup in Qatar. Photo: Telam / dpa

But it turned out that they merely flew over the planned route before returning to the AFA complex.

President Alberto Fernández declared a national holiday on Tuesday so the country could celebrate the World Cup victory.

An estimated five to six million people had lined the parade route, a government source said.

Television images showed one man trying to jump from a bridge on to the players’ bus but missing and falling into a crowd of people.

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