Fan gloom as Argentina World Cup victory parade ends abruptly

BUENOS AIRES: Millions of jubilant fans turned out Tuesday 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 favor of a hastily organized helicopter tour.

Vast crowds of ecstatic fans cheered on their heroes along every meter of the planned 30-kilometer parade route from a Buenos Aires suburb to the center 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 shootout 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 epicenter 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 traveled into town from a southern suburb at 5:00 am.

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.”

Hordes of revelers wearing the national team’s blue and white replica shirts and draped in flags sang, danced and set off fireworks