After such a momentous World Cup win for Argentina, the scenes in Buenos Aires were naturally going to be chaotic this week.
The players have returned home to celebrate with the fans after claiming the country's first World Cup win in 36 years, in a dramatic final with France last Sunday.
They arrived into Buenos Aires in the early hours of Tuesday morning, after a long commute from Doha.
The crowds that met them in the capital city were nothing short of astonishing, with several million people awaiting the world champions on the streets of the city.
The scenes soon became overwhelming, and security would be forced to move the team off an open-top bus and into helicopters, for their own safety.
Watch: Astonishing footage from packed Buenos Aires
Reports suggested that there were as many as four million people on the streets of Buenos Aires on Tuesday afternoon. Tuesday was declared a national holiday in celebration of the World Cup win.
Judging by the spectacular footage captured of the enormous, seemingly never-ending crowd, you'd well believe it.
WHAT THE...pic.twitter.com/SkHAcX1tRy
— ☈ッ (@TheFergusonWay) December 19, 2022
With so many people on the streets, getting the open top team bus to pass through was always going to be a challenge. The Argentinean players reveled in the celebrations, before being forced to abandon the bus and move to helicopters as a safety precaution.
Buenos Aires celebration packed with ~5m people. The Argentina team bus couldn’t drive through, so they had to call in helicopters 🤯 pic.twitter.com/Yc5eLUpFDS
— Trung Phan (@TrungTPhan) December 20, 2022
The decision to cut short the parade came approximately four hours after the bus had initially set off through the streets of Buenos Aires.
Surreal video footage showed fans attempting to jump from overpasses onto the bus, with one fan missing the bus and falling from a good height to the ground and the fans below.
In the end, the decision to move to helicopters was as much for the fans' safety as for the players.
Argentina’s World Cup parade has been cut short after celebrations became chaotic and fans started jumping on the open-top bus from the overpass. The players instead flew over Buenos Aires in a helicopter following guidance from security forces.
pic.twitter.com/Lecq1gn2mL— Ben Jacobs (@JacobsBen) December 20, 2022
Speaking to Sky News, South American football reporter Tim Vickery said:
As the team bus was passing under bridges, there were people from those bridges trying to jump onto the bus.
The bus just couldn't make progress, there were too many people, so in the end they were forced to take the decision to abandon the bus route.
It seems it was the safest option because it really was looking all too much.
Sadly, some of the scenes led to dangerous situations for fans, with one 24-year-old tragically losing his life after falling from a rooftop. Another fan was killed when the flag draped around his neck caught in his motorcycle and choked him. No matter the jubilant scenes in Buenos Aires, these incidents draw a sad line under Argentina's World Cup win.
Looking at overhead footage of the city, its hard to even comprehend how a bus could have worked its way through Buenos Aires at all on Tuesday.
Updated estimates saying FIVE MILLION people are at Argentina’s World Cup victory celebrations in Buenos Aires.
These shots are almost Cecil B De Mille-ian in epic scale. 🎥❤️🇦🇷
pic.twitter.com/5R2xY8MnKT— Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) December 20, 2022
The President of Argentina would take to Twitter to thank fans for leading the celebrations, despite the chaotic scenes.
Celebro el modo en que el pueblo se volcó a las calles para homenajear a nuestra Selección y al equipo técnico 🇦🇷
Millones de argentinos y argentinas en las calles, en un diciembre distinto, que quedará para siempre en nuestros corazones. pic.twitter.com/3W0yG07lrq— Alberto Fernández (@alferdez) December 20, 2022
President Alberto Fernandez said:
I celebrate the way in which the people took to the streets to honor our National Team and the technical team.
Millions of Argentines in the streets, in a different December, which will remain forever in our hearts.
Remarkable stuff in Buenos Aires. We can only imagine what Dame Street will be like if Ireland ever manage to get their hands on the biggest prize of all.
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