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Argentina government defends chaotic World Cup parade that forced players to leave via helicopter
By Ryan Morik
Published December 21, 2022
Tuesday's World Cup celebration in Argentina got so out of hand that players have to be airlifted from the team buses into privacy for their own safety.
Argentinians flooded the streets of Buenos Aires on Tuesday, two days after the nation's World Cup victory over France.
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Fans welcome World Cup champion Team Argentina in Buenos Aires on Dec. 20, 2022. (Martin Sabala/Xinhua via Getty Images)
However, despite fans attempt to board team buses, and even blocking star Lionel Messi from entering his own house, the country's government is defending the parade.
"If you see the happiness that there were in the streets, the objective was met," Argentina President Alberto Fernandez said.
Members of the team are staying in their homes to spend time with family and friends after recent days of high-profile activity.
Messi's hometown of Rosario was speculated to have a celebration for their local hero, who scored twice in the final. However, after Tuesday's chaos, those plans were shut down as officials said players preferred to rest.
Players ride in a helicopter over the fans during a victory parade of the World Cup-winning Argentina men's national team on Dec. 20, 2022, in Buenos Aires. (Marcelo Endelli/Getty Images)
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"The objective was to protect the players — not because they were going to be harmed but rather because anything could help when so many people were trying to get close to them," Security Minister Anibal Fernandez said regarding cutting Tuesday's celebration short.
He noted that having the players travel in an open-air bus was a mistake.
"Look at the photos. Put a bus in the middle of there and you realize that they would have stayed living there for six days," the security minister said.
"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 Fernandez, wrote via social media.
Argentine Football Association head Claudio Tapia blamed law enforcement for the change in the parade’s plans.
"The same security organisms that were escorting us are not allowing us to move forward," Tapia wrote on social media. "I apologize in the name of all the champion players."
Argentinians celebrate their nation's World Cup victory in Buenos Aires on Dec. 20, 2022. (Diego Radames/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
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The victory was Argentina's first World Cup title since 1986.
Fox News' Scott Thompson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/argentina-government-defends-chaotic-world-cup-parade-forced-players-leave-helicopter