Tens of thousands of Argentine soccer fans celebrate their team's World Cup semifinal victory

Buenos Aires (Argentina), Jul 16 (AP) Tens of thousands of soccer fans flooded the streets of Argentina's capital on Wednesday evening in a collective eruption of ecstasy over their national team's 2-1 victory over England to reach the World Cup final. Some screamed, others cried — and the most frenzied sprinted shirtless in pouring winter rain through the streets of Buenos Aires, their bodies painted in blue and white national colors. Young men and women scaled lamp posts and traffic lights, waving Argentine flags. Many sobbed, completely overwhelmed by the moment. The celebrations — likely to last long into the night — followed Lautaro Martinez's winning goal two minutes into injury time in the game in Atlanta. Defending champions Argentina will now play Spain in the World Cup final on Sunday. “Look around at all these strangers, jumping and dancing together,” said Rosana Beto Cruz, a 48-year-old Catholic nun caught in the sea of Argentine fans streaming toward the Obelisk, the city's soaring downtown monument, chanting songs, blaring car horns and setting off fireworks. “The World Cup, our national team, it makes this happen,” she added. Argentina now seeks another trophy ======================= The public joy, many fans said, wasn't so much about advancing to the finals or defending the title they won four years ago in Qatar as it was about crushing their nation's historical adversary. Wednesday's semifinal was the latest chapter in a long-running feud that has transcended the pitch to encompass British control over the disputed Falkland Islands, which Argentina calls the Malvinas and claims as its sovereign territory. “This is not just about football, it's about beating the country that broke our hearts,” Maria Bertero, 40, said, referring to the disastrous 10-week war in 1982. “My heart still aches for all the young boys who were sent to their deaths." But awe dislodged her sorrow as she spoke of Wednesday's game. “It's tremendous. It's magic. It makes me proud to be Argentine." The Buenos Aires celebrations were a sharp contrast to recent sentiment toward Argentina expressed on social media, where accusations that FIFA and the referees have conspired to get superstar Lionel Messi and Argentina through to the final have stirred resentment toward the reigning champions. There is no evidence for such claims, but there have been several contentious calls. That has done nothing to dim Argentines' euphoria. “All this talk about it being fixed, about FIFA being involved, have they even looked at what's happening on the field? How much we've suffered?” asked Jorge Luis Lema, who watched the game at a downtown bar, where the mood among patrons was somber until the 85th minute, when Enzo Fernandez's unstoppable goal unleashed pure exhilaration. “It's a lie. Football is football,” Lema said of the online hate. “Whoever wins, wins. And Argentina won once again.” The shadow of a long-ago war and persistent rivalry ================================= The war over the Falkland Islands, which killed 649 Argentines — many of them young conscripts underresourced and outgunned by the British army — remains one of the South American nation's darkest chapters. It also has loomed large in Argentine soccer culture since one of history's greatest players, Diego Maradona, led Argentina to victory over England in an epic 1986 World Cup quarterfinal with his notorious “Hand of God” goal — the memory of which still leaves many British fans wincing — and a 58-meter solo sprint known as the “Goal of the Century." One prominent group of Argentine veterans, seeking to defuse tensions ahead of Wednesday's match, said that Maradona's goals “already avenged us," adding, “We have no sporting scores left to settle with England." But in his first, and most likely last, time facing England, the 39-year-old Messi left his own mark, once again living up to Maradona's legacy and his country's oppressive expectations. Argentine players held up a large banner after the game that read, “Las Malvinas son Argentinas,” or, the Falkland Islands are Argentine. “Seeing Messi playing football like this, at his age, it just leaves me speechless,” said Matías Adorno, 28, one of the countless revelers wearing jerseys emblazoned with Messi and the number 10. “As Argentines, we've always put so much pressure on him. But he's given us absolutely everything." All the way down Avenida 9 de Julio, in the heart of the capital, cries of “For the Malvinas, for Diego, for Leo's last one (tournament)” pierced the air. Crowds also bounced up and down to another popular chant dating back decades — “El que no salta es un ingles,” or, “Whoever doesn't jump is an Englishman.” The celebrations provided a rare catharsis that many Argentines, polarized under their radical libertarian President Javier Milei and accustomed to cycles of economic crisis, said was desperately needed. “It is just pure joy, especially given the really bad movement we're going through now, with life being so expensive, with this president who's dividing us,” said Yanina Quinteros, 40, celebrating with her 6-year-old daughter perched on her shoulders; hands over her ears at the pops and bangs of firecrackers. “All of us, grandparents, children, mothers, fathers, we're all just here to celebrate tonight.” President Milei said he shared in that joy, too. “They won a match that is very important from an emotional standpoint,” Milei told a radio station after the match. “It's an immense joy, an overwhelming emotion that's impossible to describe.” (AP) AM AM AM