Xinhua News Agency, Buenos Aires, Dec. 20 Feature: Millions of fans welcomed the triumphant return of the Argentine team
Xinhua News Agency reporters Wang Zhongyi, Dynasty
At around 2 am on the 20th, Aerolineas Argentinas flight AR1915 landed smoothly at the Ezeiza International Airport in Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina. The airport dispatched fire trucks, sprayed water jets from both sides of the plane, and welcomed the arrival of the plane with the “Water Gate” ceremony symbolizing the highest etiquette in the civil aviation industry.
This plane is the Argentine national football team that has just returned from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The hatch opened, and Messi walked out of the hatch holding the Hercules Cup first, followed by coach Scaloni and other players down the gangway. Seeing them, the people who came to greet them gave out warm cheers.
After a brief greeting to everyone, the players boarded the bus to the station. The bus drove out of the airport slowly and was welcomed by the people. They shouted the names of the players, sang songs celebrating the victory, and followed the convoy all the way until the convoy drove into the Argentine football team’s residence not far from the airport.
Hours later, the sun shone down on Buenos Aires. The Argentine government previously announced that in order to celebrate the team’s championship, the 20th will be a national holiday.
Soon after dawn, fans began to gather around the obelisk on the 9th of July Avenue in the center of Buenos Aires. According to the previously announced celebration arrangement, the returning Argentine team will take an open-top bus and cruise the iconic avenue of the Argentine capital.
At about 11 o’clock, the parade convoy departed from the national team station about 37 kilometers away from the city center. Along the way, tens of thousands of Argentine fans lined the road to welcome them, singing and dancing, and waving the Argentine flag in their hands. Wherever the convoy went, the cheers continued one after another without stopping.
The parade lasted about 5 hours in total. Due to the large number of fans along the way, the convoy moved slowly and it was difficult to reach the city center as planned. For safety reasons, the Argentine Football Association decided that the team will continue to parade by helicopter instead.
The president of the Argentine Football Federation, Tapia, announced the decision through social media. He also apologized to the fans on behalf of the team and asked for their understanding.
At 4 o’clock in the afternoon, the helicopter carrying the team circled several times over areas with the most dense fans such as the Obelisk in the city center and Plaza de Mayo, and then returned to the team’s resident.
Players such as Enzo Fernandez posted photos of sitting on a helicopter through social media, expressing regret that they could not have face-to-face contact with more fans, and thanked all fans for their support and concern.
At 4:30 p.m., the helicopter returned to the Argentine team’s base, and the parade ended. But the city-wide carnival in Buenos Aires is still going on, and fans are still celebrating this “historic” victory in the streets, parks and other parts of the city.
According to estimates by the Argentine government, more than 5 million people welcomed the triumphant return of the Argentine team across the city of Buenos Aires that day.