Argentina's World Cup winning parade was cut short on Tuesday as millions poured on to roads and overpasses to catch a glimpse of their triumphant national team. So many jubilant, flag-waving fans swarmed the capital that the players had to abandon the open-top bus transporting them to Buenos Aires and get on helicopters for a flyover of the capital that the government billed as an aerial parade.
“The world champions are flying over the whole route on helicopters because it was impossible to continue by land due to the explosion of people’s happiness,” Gabriela Cerruti, the spokesperson for President Alberto Fernandez, wrote on social media. After flying over key points of Buenos Aires where fans had gathered, the helicopters returned to the headquarters of the Argentine Football Association outside the capital.
Some fans continued celebrating in the streets, while others headed out of Buenos Aires, complaining they were not able to pay their respects to the team that brought home the country’s first World Cup trophy since 1986. “We’re angry because the government didn’t organise this properly so we could all celebrate,” said Diego Benavidez, 25, who had been waiting since early morning to see the team. “They stole the World Cup from us.”
Others, however, were more optimistic, with Nicolas Lopez, 33, who in downtown Buenos Aires with his seven-year-old daughter saying: “I’m not disappointed, we lived the party,”
Football association head Claudio Tapia blamed police for the change in plans. “The same security organisms that were escorting us are not allowing us to move forward,” Mr Tapia wrote on social media. “I apologise in the name of all the champion players.”
The bus had been moving slowly for more than four hours through the throngs of people before the overland parade was cut short. Team Captain Lionel Messi and the rest of the players waved at the massive crowd as they carried the World Cup trophy aloft after securing the country’s third title.
The players were all smiles as they watched the multitudes gathered to see them, many trying to get as close as possible to the bus. An estimated four million people were in the streets by Tuesday afternoon, according to local media citing police sources.
Celebrating fans took over highways, avenues and the access routes into the capital as temperatures climbed to 30C. Thousands had set up camp since early Tuesday morning at the Obelisk, the Buenos Aires landmark that is the traditional site of celebrations.
The Argentine president declared a national holiday on Tuesday so the country could celebrate the World Cup victory. The song Muchachos, which was written by a fan and became a popular unofficial anthem for the Argentine team at the World Cup, filled the streets as fans joined in singing it over and over again.
It took the bus an hour to travel the 11 kilometres (6.8 miles) from the airport to AFA headquarters, where the players were welcomed with fireworks, and then spent the night.
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