WATCH | Scenes out of this world as four million fans greet Argentina bus

Up to four million supporters are reported to have taken to the streets of Buenos Aires as world champions Argentina brought the World Cup trophy home in an open-top bus on Tuesday.

After landing at Ezeiza International Airport at about 3am local time (8am SA time) on Tuesday morning, Golden Ball winner Lionel Messi was the first off state airline Aerolineas Argentinas’s flight AR1915 with the trophy.

The team set off on a bus tour of the city.

Argentina beat France on penalties after extra time ended 3-3 in a thrilling final in Qatar on Sunday night that is being called one of the greatest World Cup last matches.

Millions of ecstatic Argentines flooded the streets, with crowds so enormous it brought the open-top bus parade to a standstill.

The players were unable to reach the central Obelisco monument as planned due to security concerns because of the crowd size. They were transferred from their parade bus to helicopters.

“The World Champions are flying over the entire route in helicopters because it became impossible to continue on land due to the explosion of popular joy,” presidential spokesperson Gabriela Cerruti wrote on Twitter.

“Let's continue to celebrate in peace and show them our love and admiration!”

Television images showed people all over the city, huge crowds waiting around the central Obelisco, while many more took over highways to try to catch a glimpse of their returning champions in surely one of the largest turnouts in history.

“It's crazy, it's incredible, it's the best thing that can happen to you in life,” said Matias Gomez, 25, a metalworker.

“It is an enormous joy to see all these happy people, all together, one with the other, holding hands, giving each other hugs, kisses. We are all one today.”

By around midday millions had already congregated in downtown Buenos Aires, with major roads shut down for the parade. People held up banners of Messi and late icon Diego Maradona, played instruments or climbed lampposts or bus stops.

The Argentine capital has been in party mode since the dramatic victory over France in Sunday's final in Qatar, which has helped mask economic woes in the South American nation battling one of the world's highest inflation rates.

The victory world champions for the first time since Diego Maradona hoisted the trophy in 1986 and the third in total.

The government made Tuesday a national holiday to allow fans to celebrate the win.

As the open-top bus snaked through the city, players danced and cheered with fans who circled the bus. Police were having to hold people back to allow the vehicle to move forward on its slow journey towards the centre of town.

But eventually they could go no further.

“They don't let us get to greet all the people who were at the Obelisco. The security agents that escorted us won't allow us to move forward,” tweeted Chiqui Tapia, president of Argentina Football Association (AFA).

“A thousand apologies on behalf of all the champion players.”

* All the World Cup groups, fixtures and results here

* All the World Cup news here 

* All the World Cup squads here

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