Lionel Messi almost taken out by cable on World Cup open-top bus celebrations as Argentina arrive home
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Updated 20/12/2022 at 16:55 GMT
Lionel Messi made it through the 2022 World Cup unscathed and played a key role in Argentina lifting the trophy for a third time. But the Golden Ball winner very nearly suffered injury on arrival in Buenos Aires. Messi was sitting at the back of an open-top bus and had to quickly duck to avoid an overhead cable. Team-mate Leandro Paredes just got down in time and lost his cap.
Argentina return home after winning the World Cup
Argentina’s World Cup celebrations almost took a dark turn as Lionel Messi narrowly avoided being seriously hurt shortly after his return to Buenos Aires.
Messi and his team-mates arrived home at around 2am on Tuesday following their victory in Qatar.
They boarded an open-top bus at the airport and were greeted by thousands of cheering fans as they made their way towards the Argentina Football Association training ground, where they spent the night.
Messi, winner of the Golden Ball in Qatar, was the first off the plane holding the World Cup trophy.
He then took up a position at the back of the open-top bus alongside team-mates Leandro Paredes, Rodrigo de Paul, Angel di Maria and Nicolas Otamendi.
The players were chatting and celebrating as the bus turned a corner and almost didn’t notice as an overhead cable approached.
Fortunately they saw it just in time and managed to swiftly duck underneath.
Paredes appeared the last to see the cable and lost his cap as he just got his head down in time.
Fans lined the streets of Buenos Aires to catch a glimpse of the team as they arrived home after their thrilling penalty shoot-out win over France in the World Cup final.
Tuesday has been declared a national holiday in Argentina and there will be a parade through the capital in celebration of winning a third World Cup title.
It is Argentina’s first World Cup win since Diego Maradona led the team to victory in 1986.
This time it was Messi who inspired Argentina with seven goals and three assists.
"It's just crazy that it became a reality this way," said Messi after Argentina beat France on penalties in the final.
"I craved this so much. I knew God would bring this gift to me. I had the feeling that this was the one."
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