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Argentina’s World Cup winners led by captain Lionel Messi returned home from Qatar in the early hours of Tuesday morning ahead of a welcome party in the nation’s capital.
Beat France on Sunday thrilling finalThe players will spend the night at the training complex of the Argentine Football Association (AFA) near the airport, where thousands of fans await them.
They will then begin a tour of downtown Buenos Aires from Tuesday afternoon with millions of people taking to the streets for the holiday.
“Glorious coronation,” read a banner on a newspaper kiosk in Buenos Aires, while the daily Clarin and La Prensa both sent a huge “Thank you” to Messi and his teammates for winning the country’s third world title and the first in 36 years.
Argentina won the final in Qatar 4-2 on penalties after drawing 3-3 by roller coaster in 120 minutes of the match. peerless play.
Messi, who scored twice in the final, was the first player to step out of the plane, holding the World Cup trophy aloft, with coach Lionel Scaloni right behind him.
Striker Julian Alvarez, a discovery in Qatar with his four goals, was among the next players to appear, along with his replacement on the team, Lautaro Martinez, who is carrying a drum.
Messi’s image is decorated on the tail of the plane with the words: “one team, one country, one dream” on the side.
The players made their way from the plane along the red carpet straight to an open-top bus when the World Cup theme song “Muchachos” by ska band La Mosca played.
‘Much more emotional’ than in 1986
Excitement has been produced ever since Party begins after the final Sunday before the players arrive.
“I will greet them at the airport. Now that they are crowned, we have to greet and thank them,” Jose Luis Quinoga, 56, told AFP at the Obelisk memorial in central Buenos Aires, where took place the night before. More than a million people celebrated.
A private reception in a VIP room in the airport has been arranged to welcome the players back and the AFA said it will celebrate with fans at Obelisk on Tuesday.
“I’m taking a break from work and the first thing I do is come here,” Julieta Rosel, 23, told AFP at the memorial.
Messi finally crowned his record-breaking career with football’s biggest prize as he produced one of the greatest performances in World Cup finals, scoring a penalty in the second half. one and scored again in extra time.
In doing so, he imitated his predecessor as Argentina’s idol, Diego Maradona, who inspired the country to win a second world championship with a series of wins at the 1986 World Cup. in Mexico.
“I remember 86 but winning yesterday was much more emotional and stressful,” architect Ricardo Grunfeld, 65, told AFP.
“I don’t know if there is any difference with ’86 but this comes at a good time,” added Zulema Guereri, 80.
Argentina took a 2-0 lead with 10 minutes remaining and 3-2 with just two minutes of injury time left but striker Kylian Mbappé completed the second hat-trick in World final history. Cup to bring the exciting final to a penalty shootout , before Gonzalo Montiel successfully completed the decisive penalty.
‘It warms the heart’
Meanwhile, the defeated French players were awarded a lively reception by fans in central Paris on Monday after they returned from Qatar.
They appeared on the balcony of the Hotel Crillon overlooking the Place de la Concorde.
“Honestly, it’s amazing, it warms the heart, it’s nice to see that we can make so many French people proud and happy,” striker Marcus Thuram told TF1 TV.
They landed at Paris’ Charles de Gaulle airport just before 8 p.m. (1900 GMT), where a convoy drove them straight to central Paris.
Goalkeeper and captain Hugo Lloris told TF1 it was an opportunity to “greet them (the fans), thank them for their support and, after yesterday’s pain, to seek their consolation”. .
The thrilling final ended one of the most controversial World Cups in history.
Qatari organizers face nagging questions about the country’s treatment of migrant workers and its homosexuality laws.
World football governing body FIFA said the total attendance at the stadium was 3.4 million and more than 1 million visitors had come to Qatar to watch the matches.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
