PICS: World Champs Messi, Team Come Home

Argentina's football team returned home to a hero's welcome in Buenos Aires in the early hours before dawn on Tuesday after the plane carrying Lionel Messi and his World Cup-winning team mates touched down at Ezeiza airport.

The Argentine capital has been in party mode since the dramatic victory over France in Sunday's final in Qatar, which gave the country its first World Cup win since Diego Maradona hoisted the trophy 36 years ago.

The players, donning winners' medals around their necks, waved at fans from an open-top bus as they held aloft the FIFA World Cup trophy.

Scenes from the champion team's homecoming...

IMAGE: Messi and Coach Lionel Scaloni greet fans as they arrive in Buenos Aires on Tuesday. Photograph: Marcelo Endelli/Getty Images

IMAGE: Claudio Tapia, president of the Argentine Football Association, is seen with the players on the open top bus as it arrives outside the Association of Argentinian Football headquarters. Photograph: Mariana Nedelcu/Reuters

IMAGE: Rodrigo De Paul, Leandro Paredes, Messi and Julian Alvarez are seen on the open top bus during a parade. Photograph: Mariana Nedelcu/Reuters

IMAGE: Messi, De Paul, Paredes, Lautaro Martinez and Alvarez celebrate atop a bus. Photograph: Marcelo Endelli/Getty Images

IMAGE: Messi with the World Cup during the team's arrival at Ezeiza airport. Photograph: Agustin Marcarian

World Champs Messi And Co Return Home

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