Lionel Messi in tears! See how Argentina welcomed their heroes in the streets of Buenos Aires and at the Estadio Monumental

Argentina played a friendly against Panama last night, their first match since winning the World Cup final in Qatar. Watch the amazing footage of thousands of fans welcoming the World Champions not only at the Estadio Monumental, but also in the streets of Buenos Aires.

Argentina played a competitive match for the first time since winning the final in Qatar

A football story like a fairy tale, Argentina is simply alive with football. For 36 long years, Argentina fans have been waiting for their players to bring them the World Cup winners’ trophy. In 1986 it was the divine Diego Armando Maradona, and at the World Cup in Qatar the star Lionel Messi did it too.

In the early hours of this morning CET, world champions Argentina played a friendly against Panama and came away with a comfortable 2-0 victory. It was the first match for the Argentina national team since the victorious final against France in December.

And the Argentine fans gave their heroes a very special welcome. Even before the match, crowds of fans were already welcoming the star players on the streets of the capital Buenos Aires.

However, the real football atmosphere only broke out at the Estadio Monumental, where River Plate play their home games and where the aforementioned friendly against Panama took place.

The fans prepared a really special welcome for their heroes

When both teams came on, all hell broke loose in a good way. The footage of the chanting stadium is not only giving Argentine football fans the creeps.

In particular, the sight of the emotional star Lionel Messi, with whom his three young sons also shared some beautiful moments, was truly touching.

The biggest star Lionel Messi kept the fans at the Estadio Monumental waiting until the 89th minute when he converted a free direct kick in a beautiful way. It marked the 800th shot of his spectacular career and the whole stadium chanted the name of its biggest star.

In Argentina, the previously criticised Messi won the hearts of all football fans in the country for good and became their idol, just as Maradona had done. Will we see another World Cup under his watch?

Source: Twitter accounts – B/R Football and Family History, Livesport, Wikipedia