BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — A parade to celebrate Argentina’s World Cup champions came to an abrupt halt Tuesday as millions of people filled the roads, highways and overpasses in a chaotic attempt to catch a glimpse of the national team. who won one of the championships. Best World Cup finals of all time.
So many jubilant, flag-waving fans flooded the capital that the players had to ditch the open-top bus that was taking them to Buenos Aires and board helicopters to fly over the capital that the government billed as an air parade.
“The world champions are flying over the entire route in helicopters because it was impossible to continue on land due to the explosion of joy among the people,” Gabriela Cerruti, spokeswoman for President Alberto Fernández, wrote on social networks.
After flying over key points in Buenos Aires where the fans had gathered, the helicopters returned to the headquarters of the Argentine Football Association on the outskirts of the capital.
Some fans continued to celebrate in the streets, while others left Buenos Aires with long faces, complaining that they could not pay their respects to the team that brought home the country’s first World Cup trophy since 1986.
“We are angry that the government did not organize this properly so that we could all celebrate,” said Diego Benavídez, 25, who had been waiting since early morning to see the team. “They stole the World Cup from us.”
Others, however, took it in stride.
“I’m not disappointed, we live the party,” said Nicolás López, 33, who was in downtown Buenos Aires with his 7-year-old daughter.
Football association president Claudio Tapia blamed law enforcement for the change of plans. “The same security agencies that escorted us are not allowing us to move forward,” Tapia wrote on social media. “I apologize on behalf of all champion players.”
The bus had been moving at a snail’s pace for more than four hours through the throng of people before the ground parade was cut short. Team captain Lionel Messi and the rest of the players waved to the crowd as they held aloft the World Cup trophy after securing the country’s third title.
“This is crazy, it’s indescribable,” Brian Andreassi, 23, said as he walked downtown wearing the team’s jersey. “There are no words.”
The World Cup and the success of Messi’s squad brought much-needed good news for a country that has been economically stagnant for years, suffers from one of the highest inflation rates in the world and is home to almost 4 out of 10 people. poverty.
“There is an immense union among all Argentines, unity, happiness. It is as if you could breathe another air, there is another energy in the air”, said Victoria Roldán. “My body and my heart are about to explode.”
Carrying a World Cup replica, the 32-year-old and her sister Mariana, 36, were keen to get a glimpse of the team and, in particular, their captain, Messi.
“We are dying to see it,” Roldán said. “Seeing him with that huge smile, with those bright eyes full of hope, really fills our hearts with joy and happiness. … I think Leo has deserved it for years, and this was his moment.”
The players were all smiles as they watched the crowds gathered to watch them, many trying to get as close to the bus as possible. An estimated 4 million people were on the streets Tuesday afternoon, according to local media citing police sources.
Celebrating fans took to the highways, avenues and access roads to the capital as temperatures rose to 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit).
Thousands had camped out since early Tuesday morning at the Obelisk, the iconic Buenos Aires monument that is the traditional site of the celebrations.
“We’re a little disoriented because we don’t know the bus route and a little frustrated because we’ve traveled so many kilometers and we may not be able to see them,” said Giselle Pisani, 34, who traveled 350 kilometers (220 miles). with her family from the town of Olavarria.
The Argentine president declared Tuesday a national holiday so the country could celebrate winning the World Cup.
The song “Muchachos”, which was written by a fan and became a popular unofficial anthem for the Argentine team in the World Cup, filled the streets as fans came together to sing it over and over again.
Some fans also paid tribute to Argentine soccer legend Diego Maradona, the captain of the squad that won the 1986 World Cup and who died two years ago, with flags bearing his name and face. “This is for Diego, who is watching from heaven,” the fans chanted.
“This is a party. The last time Argentina was champion I was 3 years old, I don’t remember anything,” said Yael Torchinsky, 39. “I want to live this intensely because the Argentine people need this happiness.”
By mid-afternoon, fans began to fill the Plaza de Mayo in front of Government House, amid rumors that players might go there to repeat the festivities for Argentina’s 1986 World Cup victory that they took away. out there. The Fernández administration had offered the palatial mansion, popularly known as the Casa Rosada, according to Security Minister Aníbal Fernández.
The raucous welcome to the team began before dawn as thousands of fans lined up to greet them on their return from Qatar.
The players were beaming when they stepped off their plane in Ezeiza, on the outskirts of Argentina’s capital, just before 3 am onto a red carpet. Messi was the first out, carrying the World Cup trophy, flanked by coach Lionel Scaloni, who put his arm around the captain as they walked past a banner that read: “Thank you, champions.”
The team was greeted by the rock band La Mosca singing “Muchachos”, and several players, including Messi, could be seen singing the lyrics as they boarded the bus that would take them to the headquarters of the Argentine Football Association.
It took an hour for the bus to travel the 11 kilometers (6.8 miles) from the airport to the AFA headquarters, where the players were greeted with fireworks and then spent the night. In the morning, Messi posted a photo on social media showing him hugging the World Cup trophy next to him as he slept.
Several players also posted photos of the plane ride on social media. In one, Nicolás Tagliafico published an image of the World Cup trophy buckled on an airplane seat as if it were another passenger.
