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BUENOS AIRES. — Argentina’s FIFA World Cup celebrations have been marred by the death of a 24-year-old fan, after he fell through a roof “jumping up and down” celebrating during Tuesday’s victory parade after their dramatic penalty shoot-out win over France.
Lionel Messi and the rest of Argentina’s players delivered the nation’s first World Cup triumph since 1986 and it caused millions in Argentina to throw parties.
But after Tuesday’s bus parade was cut short due to safety concerns of fans jumping onto the top of the bus with the players, the Buenos Aires Ministry of Health detailed how another fan died in hospital on Monday due to a head injury picked up while celebrating.
Details from police in Buenos Aires, published by La Nacíon say the man “was jumping on the roof, celebrating the triumph of the National Team, until (the roof) broke and he fell,” leading to fatal injury.
In a statement posted by his family, they say the man mistook “a plastic sheet”, which was serving as a temporary roof.
He died from his injuries at the Fernández Hospital in Buenos Aires.
There are also fears over a five-year-old boy that is in a coma after sustaining a serious head injury following an incident in Plaza San Martin, where he was celebrating Argentina’s World Cup triumph with his parents.
La Nacion have also detailed how a piece of marble fell from a monument during the celebrations, striking the child, who is now in intensive care.
And Argentina’s World Cup winners had to abandon an open-top bus parade in Buenos Aires and instead took a helicopter ride over the millions of ecstatic fans partying in the streets. The squad showed off the trophy at the start of a planned eight-hour journey.
But the celebrations on packed roads became more chaotic, forcing a rethink.
“It was impossible to continue on the ground due to the explosion of joy,” tweeted presidential spokeswoman Gabriela Cerruti.
Social media videos appeared to show fans jumping onto the top deck of the bus carrying the players at one point when it passed underneath a bridge, with one fan falling off.
The Argentine government declared Tuesday would be a national holiday in the South American country after Lionel Messi and his team-mates beat France in Sunday’s final.
About four million people lined the streets of Buenos Aires, according to local estimates.
“Today Argentina experienced one of the most extraordinary parties in its history. There was only joy and gratitude during hours and hours of exciting togetherness,” Cerruti added.
After arriving home from Qatar in the early hours of Tuesday morning, the players left the Argentine Football Association (AFA) training complex on a 20-mile journey to the centre of Buenos Aires at 11:45 local time (14:45 GMT).
The journey was supposed to finish at the capital city’s iconic Obelisk monument, where hundreds of thousands had gathered and created a party atmosphere, later that day.
But security forces would not let the bus continue to Plaza de la República — the public square where the Obelisk stands — after some of the celebrations became too chaotic.
“A thousand apologies on behalf of all of the champion players. (Such) a shame,” tweeted AFA president Chiqui Tapia.
With the majority of the jubilant fans wearing the national team’s blue and white colours, it was a sea of colour in Plaza de la República as they waited for the squad.
Banners were held aloft of captain Messi and the late Diego Maradona — another iconic Argentina player, captain of the 1986 World Cup champions and regarded as one of the greatest players ever — while other fans played instruments or climbed lampposts.
Hundreds of fans lined the streets, with many riding scooters and running behind the bus on a motorway, as the parade made its way towards the Argentine capital. — Mailonline
Online Reporter