Fan gloom as Argentina World Cup victory parade ends abruptly

BUENOS AIRES: Millions of jubilant fans turned out Tuesday (Dec 20) to welcome home Argentina's World Cup winners led by Lionel Messi, but most were left disappointed when an open-top bus parade had to be abandoned due to the massive crowds, in favour of a hastily organised helicopter tour.

Vast crowds of ecstatic fans cheered on their heroes along every metre of the planned 30-kilometre parade route from a Buenos Aires suburb to the centre of the capital - but that made for interminably slow progress.

The bus had crawled along for almost five hours as the throng celebrated the team's thrilling penalty shoot-out victory over France in the World Cup final, before the decision was made to trade the bus for a chopper.

"It was impossible to continue on the ground due to the explosion of popular joy," presidential spokeswoman Gabriela Cerruti said on Twitter.

It meant that many fans, including the largest congregation at the iconic Obelisk monument in central Buenos Aires that has for decades been the epicentre of sporting celebrations, did not get to see their idols in the flesh.

"I'm a little bit sad that we weren't able to see them," said Marta Acosta, 35, who travelled into town from a southern suburb at 5am.

Claudio Tapia, president of the Argentine Football Association (AFA), blamed police for the decision to abandon the victory parade.

"They are not allowing us to go and greet all the people at the Obelisk," said Tapia on Twitter.

"The same security agencies that escorted us are not allowing us to continue. Thousands of apologies in the name of all the champion players. It's a shame."

A statement from the federal police suggested that the parade was over, with the helicopter taking the players back to the AFA training complex