Thousands of ecstatic fans gave Argentina's football squad a hero's welcome in Buenos Aires in the early hours before dawn on Tuesday after the plane carrying Lionel Messi and his World Cup-winning team mates touched down at Ezeiza airport.
Soccer Football - Argentina team arrives to Buenos Aires after winning the World Cup - Buenos Aires, Argentina - December 20, 2022 Claudio Tapia, president of the Argentine Football Association and Lionel Messi with the trophy during the team's arrival at Ezeiza International Airport REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian (Reuters/REUTERS)
The Argentine capital has been in party mode since their dramatic victory over France in Sunday's final in Qatar, which gave the country its first World Cup win since Diego Maradona hoisted the trophy 36 years ago.
Soccer Football - Argentina team arrives to Buenos Aires after winning the World Cup - Buenos Aires, Argentina - December 20, 2022 Argentina's Lautaro Martinez and Julian Alvarez during the team's arrival at Ezeiza International Airport REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian (Reuters/REUTERS)
The players, wearing their gold winners' medals around their necks and taking turns to hold the World Cup trophy aloft, waved at fans from an open-top bus as the lights from thousands of mobile phones sparkled and flags fluttered in the crowd.
Soccer Football - Argentina team arrives to Buenos Aires after winning the World Cup - Buenos Aires, Argentina - December 20, 2022 Argentina's Franco Armani and Angel Correa are seen on the open top bus with teammates as it arrives outside the Association of Argentinian Football Headquarters REUTERS/Mariana Nedelcu (Reuters/REUTERS)
Joyous fans sang to the beat of a drum and fireworks lit up the sky as the bus slowly wound its way through the crowd.
Soccer Football - Argentina team arrives to Buenos Aires after winning the World Cup - Buenos Aires, Argentina - December 20, 2022 Fans gather outside the Association of Argentinian Football Headquarters as the Argentina team bus arrives REUTERS/Mariana Nedelcu (Reuters/REUTERS)
Thousands had tracked the plane, the state airline Aerolineas Argentinas AR1915, all the way from Doha and a stop-off in Rome.
Soccer Football - Argentina team arrives to Buenos Aires after winning the World Cup - Buenos Aires, Argentina - December 20, 2022 Argentina's players with the trophy during the team's arrival at Ezeiza International Airport REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian (Reuters/REUTERS)
The players are expected to spend a few hours at the Argentine Football Association (AFA) facilities near the airport before heading at noon to the huge Obeliso monument in the center of town, where hundreds of thousands are likely to gather.
Soccer Football - Argentina team arrives to Buenos Aires after winning the World Cup - Buenos Aires, Argentina - December 20, 2022 Claudio Tapia, president of the Argentine Football Association and Lionel Messi with the trophy during the team's arrival at Ezeiza International Airport REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian (Reuters/REUTERS)
Argentina beat France 4-2 on penalties after a scintilaing 3-3 draw, with Messi scoring twice France's Kylian Mbappe netting three times.
Messi, 35, announced that the final would be his last match in the World Cup though he intends to play a few more games for the national side.
Soccer Football - Argentina team arrives to Buenos Aires after winning the World Cup - Buenos Aires, Argentina - December 20, 2022 Argentina's Lionel Messi with the trophy during the team's arrival at Ezeiza International Airport REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian (Reuters/REUTERS)
(Reporting by Nicolas Misculin and Miguel Lo Bianco; Additional reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford )
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