It’s a party 36 years in the making.
Lionel Messi and Argentina won the 2022 FIFA World Cup with a riveting win over France in Sunday’s final. It represented the country’s first World Cup title since 1986, and fans flooded the capital city to join in on the festivities.
An estimated 4 million people packed the streets surrounding the Obelisk for the national team’s World Cup celebration.
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As if those photos don’t fully put things into perspective, Croatia, Argentina’s semifinal opponent, has a total population of right around 4 million.
Things were so packed that the team’s tour around the city had to switch from buses to helicopters.
Argentina players weren’t the only ones high above the ground. A handful of fans reached the top of the Obelisk and got a towering view:
The Obelisk and Buenos Aires have been buzzing throughout the World Cup, and things have only picked up since La Albiceleste lifted the trophy. This was the scene on Sunday following Argentina’s penalty shootout win over France:
The national team arrived home in the early hours of Tuesday morning, but people still came out in droves to welcome players back before the scheduled World Cup celebration got underway.
After waiting decades for Argentina – and Messi, in particular – to win the World Cup trophy, it’s no wonder fans are soaking in the victory.