Argentina's World Cup heroes had to abandon an open-top bus parade in Buenos Aires as millions of ecstatic fans flooded onto the streets and brought the city to a standstill, with Lionel Messi and his teammates whisked into helicopters to complete the celebrations.
Argentina beat France 4-2 on penalties after a scintillating 3-3 draw after extra time in Qatar on Sunday.
The players were unable to reach the central Obelisco monument as planned on Tuesday because the route was completely blocked by the heaving crowd, estimated by local media at over four million people.
With social media footage showing some fans trying to jump onto the team's bus when it passed under a bridge, the scheduled eight-hour journey was cut short due to security fears. The players were transferred from their parade bus and into helicopters.
"The world champions are flying over the entire route in helicopters because it became impossible to continue on land due to the explosion of joy," presidential spokeswoman Gabriela Cerruti wrote on Twitter.
Television images showed people all over the city, including those waiting around the Obelisco and on surrounding highways trying to catch a glimpse of their returning champions.
"It's crazy, it's incredible, it's the best thing that can happen to you in life," said Matias Gomez (25), a metalworker.
"It is an enormous joy to see all these happy people, all together, one with the other, holding hands, giving each other hugs, kisses. We are all one today."
By about midday, hundreds of thousands had congregated in downtown Buenos Aires, with major roads shut down for the parade. People held up banners of Messi and late legend Diego Maradona, played instruments or climbed lampposts or bus stops.
Roads started to clear after the players took to the sky in helicopters, with some people left disappointed not to see the team.
The Argentine capital has been in party mode since the dramatic victory over France, which has helped mask economic woes in the South American nation battling one of the world's highest inflation rates.
The penalty shootout victory made the country world champions for the first time since Maradona hoisted the trophy in 1986 and the third in total.
The government made Tuesday a national holiday to allow fans to celebrate the win.
"I celebrate how the people took to the streets to pay homage to our national team," President Alberto Fernandez said in a post on Twitter. "Millions of Argentines in the streets, in a uncommon December, which will remain forever in our hearts."
'I can't cry anymore'
As the open-top bus snaked through the city, players danced and cheered with fans who circled the bus. Police were having to hold people back to allow the vehicle to move forward on its slow journey towards the centre of town. But eventually they could go no further.
"They don't let us get to greet all the people who were at the Obelisco. The security agents that escorted us won't allow us to move forward," tweeted Chiqui Tapia, president of the Argentine Football Association (AFA).
"A thousand apologies on behalf of all the champion players."
The 35-year-old has said the final would be his last match in the World Cup, though he intends to play a few more games for the national side.
At times it has felt that the whole country has been partying through the night from Sunday onwards in the southern hemisphere summer, the joy of victory infecting everyone with cars regularly blaring their horns in celebration.
"There are people lying on the floor who came straight from the last party to get up and keep partying," said Elio Maisares (25), as he celebrated in the city where everyone and everything was covered in the white-and-blue of the "Albiceleste".
"Just look at all this, look at everything that is painted in light blue and white. Along the roads, the highways, all the people are rooting for Argentina," he said.
"It's really impressive, it's unique, what a way to cry. I cried this morning, yesterday, the day before yesterday, I can't cry anymore, it's incredible!"
Messi invited to leave mark in Maracana
Messi has been invited to "eternalise" his mark at Brazil's famous Maracana by leaving his footprints in the iconic stadium's Hall of Fame, the Rio de Janeiro State Sports Superintendence says.
The public body which runs the stadium repeated the invitation to Messi first made when the 'Albiceleste' won the Copa America in 2021.
"Messi has already demonstrated his importance on and off the pitch. He is a player who has been at the highest level in the history of football for years," said the president of the superintendence, Adriano Santos, in a letter sent to Messi via the Argentine FA (AFA). "And nothing could be more fitting than for the Maracana to also pay tribute to him. After all, Messi is a genius with the ball."
The historic Maracana stadium has hosted two World Cup finals, in 1950 and 2014, and saw Messi and his squad become 2021 Copa America champions by beating Brazil 1-0.
Messi's footprints on the Maracana's Walk of Fame would stand alongside Brazil greats such as Pele, Garrincha, Rivelino and Ronaldo plus other world famous players including Chile's Elias Figueroa, Serbia's Dejan Petkovic, Portugal's Eusebio, Uruguay's Sebastian Abreu and Germany's Franz Beckenbauer.
