Argentina and Lionel Messi came home to a hero’s welcome and breathtaking scenes in Buenos Aires after their World Cup victory.
Argentina won their first World Cup since 1986 in Qatar, defeating France in a penalty shootout following a dramatic final that ended 3-3.
The victory exorcises the demons of lost finals in 1990 and 2014, and many consider Messi the most outstanding player.
Argentina saw some fantastic celebrations on the day of the final, with Buenos Aires practically in party mode since the final whistle.
Those supporters saw their heroes in person on Tuesday when the squad came home and boarded an open-top bus to the Obelisco monument in the city center.
Argentina has proclaimed the day a national holiday so that as many people as possible may participate in the festivities. According to some sources, nearly a million people were on the streets.
As the players stepped off the aircraft, rock band La Mosca played Muchachos, which became the national team’s song, with lyrics about Messi ending 36 years of World Cup heartbreak.
“It’s really incredible that it became a reality this way,” Messi remarked after the final, which he won with two goals.
“I was desperate for this. I knew God would send me this gift. I had a strong hunch this was the one.”
