Blue and white cheers at the Iconic Stadium in Lusail and blue and white ecstasy on the streets of Argentina’s capital and elsewhere in the country. When Gonzalo Montiel converted the decisive penalty in Qatar, all dams broke in Buenos Aires, 13,000 kilometers away at 2:54 p.m. local time: Argentina are football world champions for the third time after 1978 and 1986 after beating France!
World champion celebration in Argentina
And above all, people pay homage to a football god Lionel Messi, best player of the tournament. He led the Albiceleste to the title, scoring one goal in regular time, one in extra time and one on penalties in the final alone. Now the 35-year-old is finally a national hero.
50 minutes after the end of the dramatic and high-class final, the Argentinian captain was able to lift the golden World Cup trophy into the sky of Qatar – and thus triggered renewed cheering at home. Millions flocked to the streets across the country, waving flags and singing their joy.
A home that has been badly shaken for years: 100 percent inflation causes a severe economic crisis and great poverty. The World Cup title brings a ray of hope to the country with all its passionate fans. The blue and white parties on the streets of Buenos Aires, Rosario and San Juan are proof of this: the triumph in Qatar is a victory for the Argentines.
See the click-through photo gallery above from the World Cup celebrations in Qatar and Argentina.
Also read about the World Cup final: