Argentina's World Cup winning parade was cut short on Tuesday as millions poured on to roads and overpasses to catch a glimpse of their triumphant national team. So many jubilant, flag-waving fans swarmed the capital that the players had to abandon the open-top 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 Fernandez, 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.
Some fans continued celebrating in the streets, while others headed out of Buenos Aires, complaining they were not able to pay their respects to the team that brought home the country’s first World Cup trophy since 1986. “We’re angry because the government didn’t organise this properly so we could all celebrate,” said Diego Benavidez, 25, who had been waiting since early morning to see the team. “They stole the World Cup from us.”
