Argentina squad greeted by millions of fans on bus tour after World Cup win

The Argentina squad have been greeted by more than four million jubilant fans as they celebrated their World Cup win with an open-top bus tour in Buenos Aires.

La Albiceleste defeated France on penalties to win their first World Cup since 1986, with Lionel Messi finally able to lift the famous trophy. The squad flew home to South America on Monday night, arriving early on Tuesday morning.

To continue the celebrations, they are now holding an open-top bus tour through the capital city, where millions of supporters have gathered. The party has not stopped since Gonzalo Montiel fired the winning spot-kick past Hugo Lloris on Sunday evening.

The squad gathered at the Argentina Football Association's headquarters in Ezeiza at 11am local time, with their bus given an escort by the Federal Police. They then travelled down to Ricchieri highway towards General Paz.

From there, they continued on through Lugones down Avenida 9 de Julio towards the Obelisk, which one person is reported to have even climbed to the top of for a better view. They will then head back in a loop down Autopista 25 de Mayo back towards the AFA headquarters.

The streets of the bus' route have been filled by a sea of four million fans wearing sky-blue and white as far as the eye could see. Captain Messi had carried the World Cup trophy off the plane and onto an open-top bus that was waiting for the squad at Buenos Aires airport.

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Crowds even gathered early on Tuesday morning to greet the squad, who showed off their World Cup winners' medals. More than 100,000 fans gathered in the 9 de Julio square to see the team, with the parade set to last several hours as the bus travels at a snail's pace due to the mountain of crowds.

The celebrations are likely to be just as emotional as those seen at the Lusail Stadium on Sunday. Head coach Lionel Scaloni dedicated the win to legendary star Diego Maradona, the last player before Messi to lift the World Cup for Argentina.

"We managed to lift the trophy, something that we've been dreaming about for so long - we're a country that's so passionate about football, and I'm sure that if Diego had been here he'd have enjoyed it so much," he said.

"He would have been on the first one the pitch to enjoy it. The match was completely insane. We produced a great performance - we should have won it in the 90 minutes or in extra time, we didn't deserve the draw but we were fighters.

"It was similar to the game with the Netherlands, we kept on fighting because we wanted to win. Now I have best feeling ever. This squad play for their people, for the Argentina fans, everyone is pulling in the same direction, for the whole country.

"It's a great pride when you're playing for your country - the players broke their backs, they have achieved this title because they understood what they had to do on the pitch."