Argentina declares national holiday for World Cup bash

• Posted on December 22, 2022December 22, 2022
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

Argentina’s national team yesterday celebrated their World Cup triumph in Buenos Aires at the Obelisk, the monument that is the traditional epicentre of sporting celebrations, the federation said.

The Argentine government declared yesterday would be a bank holiday so that the entire country “can express their deepest joy for the national team.”

The national team, who beat France on Sunday, arrived in the country in the early hours of yesterday on a state airline flight and was welcomed by thousands of fans outside the airport.

Lionel Messi, holding the World Cup trophy, with coach Lionel Scaloni and Argentina Football Association president Claudio Tapia led the team down the plane to the tarmac at the Ezeiza airport.

“The world champion squad will leave on Tuesday at noon for the Obelisk to celebrate the world title with the fans,” the Argentine Football Association (AFA) said on its official Twitter account.

Argentina beat France 4-2 on penalties after a 3-3 draw in a pulsating game that was labelled by many as one of the best finals in World Cup history.

Argentines, who took to the streets in every corner of the country after winning their third World Cup, are eager to continue the celebrations.

“I want to be in Argentina to see how crazy it is,” the team’s talismanic captain Lionel Messi said. “I want them to wait for me, I can’t wait to go there and enjoy it with them.”