Argentina football team abandons parade amid swarms of people

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — A parade to celebrate the Argentine World Cup champions was abruptly called off Tuesday as millions of people poured onto thoroughfares, highways and overpasses in a chaotic attempt to catch a glimpse of the national team that won one of the greatest World Cup finals of all time.

So many jubilant, flag-waving fans swarmed the capital that the players had to abandon the open-air bus transporting them to Buenos Aires and get on helicopters for a flyover of the capital that the government billed as an aerial parade.

“The world champions are flying over the whole route on helicopters because it was impossible to continue by land due to the explosion of people's happiness,” Gabriela Cerruti, the spokesperson for President Alberto Fernández , wrote on social media.

After flying over key points of Buenos Aires where fans had gathered, the helicopters returned to the headquarters of the Argentine Football Association outside the capital.

Football association head Claudio Tapia blamed law enforcement for the change in plans.

“The same security organisms that were escorting us are not allowing us to move forward,” Tapia wrote on social media. “I apologise in the name of all the champion players.”

The bus had been moving at a snail's pace for more than four hours through the throngs of humanity before the overland parade was cancelled. Team Captain Lionel Messi and the rest of the players waved at the massive crowd as they carried the World Cup trophy aloft after securing the country's third title, and its first since 1986.

“This is madness, it's indescribable,” said Brian Andreassi, 23, as he walked downtown wearing the team's jersey. “There are no words.”

The World Cup and the success of the Messi-led squad has brought much-needed good news for a country that has been stuck in economic doldrums for years, suffers one of the world's highest inflation rates and where nearly 4-in-10 people live in poverty.

“There's an immense union among all Argentines — unity, happiness. It's as if you can breathe another air, there's another energy in the air,” said Victoria Roldán. “My body and heart are about to burst.”

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