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Argentina forced to abandon bus parade amid jubilant scenes

Oladuji Tofunmi

 

Argentina’s World Cup champions had to forgo an open-top bus procession in Buenos Aires in favor of a helicopter ride over the throngs of jubilant spectators partying on the streets.

At the start of an eight-hour journey, the team displayed the trophy.

However, the chaos caused by the celebrations on the congested roadways made some reconsider.

According to presidential spokeswoman Gabriela Cerruti, “the eruption of pleasure made it impossible to continue on the ground.”

Social media videos appeared to show spectators boarding the bus carrying the players’ top deck while it was passing beneath a bridge at one point, with one spectator falling off..

Following Sunday’s final victory against France by Lionel Messi and his teammates, the Argentine government announced Tuesday to be a national holiday in the South American nation.

Local estimates state that there were about four million people lining the streets of Buenos Aires.

“One of the most amazing parties in Argentina’s history occurred today. Throughout hours and hours of exhilarating togetherness, there was nothing but joy and thankfulness “Cerruti threw in.

By noon on Tuesday, hundreds of thousands of Argentinians had gathered in Buenos Aires’ Plaza de la Repblica.

The players left the Argentine Football Association (AFA) training complex at 11:45 local time to travel 20 miles to the heart of Buenos Aires after returning from Qatar early on Tuesday morning

The expedition was meant to end later that day at the capital city’s famous Obelisk monument, where hundreds of thousands had congregated and created a festive atmosphere.

Security guards, however, refused to let the bus go on to Plaza de la Repblica, the public area where the Obelisk is situated, because some of the celebrations got out of hand.

“A thousand reasons on behalf of all the champion players. What a shame! “The president of the AFA, Chiqui Tapia, tweeted. Enzo Fernandez, an Argentine footballer, uploaded a selfie from the chopper.

 

It was a sea of color in Plaza de la Repblica as they awaited the team, with most of the ecstatic supporters sporting the national team’s blue and white colors.

Flags were flown in honor of Argentina’s captain Messi and the late Diego Maradona, another legendary player and captain of the 1986 World Cup champions while other spectators played instruments or scaled lampposts, one of the finest players ever.

As the parade traveled toward the Argentine capital, hundreds of spectators lined the streets, many of whom were on motorbikes and were following the bus on the highway.

One of those present, Matias Gomez, 25, said, “It’s crazy, it’s fantastic, it’s the best thing that can happen to you in life.”

“It brings me great joy to see all of these joyful people gathered together, holding hands, hugging, and kissing each other. Today, we are all one.”

Messi, a forward for Paris St. Germain who led the team and is widely regarded as the best player to ever play the game, lifted the World Cup and sat in the center of the team on the upper deck.

He uploaded a photo to Instagram earlier on Tuesday showing himself waking up next to the trophy.

Since Sunday’s thrilling victory over France in a penalty shootout in Qatar, which delivered the nation its first World Cup victory since Maradona hoisted the trophy 36 years ago, Argentina has been in full celebration mode.

In one of the most memorable World Cup finals in the competition’s history, Messi, 35, finally realized his World Cup ambition as La Albiceleste claimed their third championship.

 

 

 

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