ARGENTINA’S heroes wasted no time starting a crazy victory party as they jumped on an open-top bus outside the World Cup final stadium.
Fireworks and music blasted out as Lionel Messi and Co celebrated on a slow cruise past joyous, screaming fans in Lusail, Qatar.
Lionel Scaloni’s men are preparing to fly home after Argentina’s third World Cup triumph gave Messi the complete set of football’s top trophies.
And the contrast from the tension of a momentous final could hardly have been stronger.
Players dangled legs over the side of the bus, many took selfies, some swigged drinks, most were still in team kit and all of course wore their winners’ medals.
Leandro Paredes and Nicolas Otamendi looked like the life and soul of the party as they casually sat on the edge of the bus.
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A few of the squad were even shoe-less as they quickly switched off following possibly the finest World Cup final ever.
Mesmerising Messi, 35, insisted this will NOT be his last international, nor even, possibly, his final World Cup match.
It would be fitting if it was, however, not just because of his age but also because it would surely be impossible to achieve a better swansong.
He told TyC Sports: “I am not retiring from the Argentina national team.
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“I want to continue playing as a champion”.
Messi provided two goals and a sublime role in Angel di Maria’s strike.
But Kylian Mbappe’s hat-trick rescued France from 2-0 in normal down and 3-2 adrift late in the extra half-hour.
Messi the master and Mbappe the heir apparent both then netted in the shootout.
But the Barcelona legend ultimately triumphed over his PSG team-mate as Argentina won 4-2 on penalties.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
