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9 NEWS WORLD maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 21 DECEMBER 2022 AFTER taking the World Cup crown, Argentina returned home to Buenos Aires on Tuesday with the country de- claring the day of celebration as a nation- al holiday. Thousands of fans lined up in the mid- dle of the night to try to get a glimpse of the Argentina football team that won one of the greatest World Cup finals ahead of what is scheduled to be a day of celebra- tions. The game saw Lionel Messi and the team win the biggest prize in football - a call for victory for the people of the country. Messi stepped off the plane holding the golden trophy, followed by his team, as they were greeted by fans, reporters and a live band. The players were welcomed by rock band La Mosca singing "Muchachos," a song that became a popular unofficial anthem for Argentine fans at the World Cup in Qatar. The winners will first spend the night at the Argentine Football Association's training ground, according to state me- dia agency Télam. "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. Swarms of supporters came dressed in national colours as the atmosphere roared with excitement and cheer. Many were seen camped out at the training site on Monday ahead of the team's arrival. With the highly-anticipated return of the team, Tuesday has been declared a national holiday in celebration. The champions boarded an open-top bus, with several of the players seen sing- ing along to the words "Muchachos". The bus moved slowly as crowds waved Argentine flags and gathered around the bus - eager to see the players. Throughout the bus ride, Messi held on to the World Cup as the team waved to fans. The win marked Argentina's third World Cup win and its first since 1986, when the legendary Diego Maradona led the team to victory in Mexico. "It's just crazy that it became a reality this way", Messi said, after his historic win. He continued: "I craved for this so much. I knew God would bring this gift to me. I had the feeling that this was the one." It was a special moment for Messi and heartbreak for his club teammate Kylian Mbappe who fought till the very end, in a match that is already being described as one of the greatest finals in history. Argentina team returns home to ecstatic welcome after World Cup win Lionel Messi holds the World Cup aloft as he exits the plane which flew the triumphant Argentina football team back home. The team then boarded an open-topped bus and paraded around Buenos Aires, where thousands of fans lined up in the middle of the night to welcome their heroes home