Argentina’s open-top bus parade has had to be cut short following their heroic World Cup win after numerous security concerns during the celebration thus far.
Returning home from Qatar 2022 on Tuesday, the national squad were met by an incredible reception as thousands gathered around the team plane as it landed in Buenos Aires.
However, it didn’t take long for the joyous scenes to get out of control as the victory parade began its journey through the capital and millions lining the streets began to swarm the bus in an attempt to meet their heroes.
In one rather incredible clip, multiple Argentine fans hanging from a bridge tried to jump aboard the team bus as it drove under the overpass, with one falling and having to be carried away on a stretcher.
Fans jump from a bridge on Argentina’s team bus. One falls, taken away on a stretcher, but still singing.
Bus supposed to finish at the iconic Obelisk monument, where hundreds of thousands of fans were gathered. But security forces said it was unsafe to enter the Plaza de la República. AFA president Chiqui Tapia said: "A thousand apologies on behalf of all of the champion players." pic.twitter.com/IxA8dcVQX4
As if these chaotic scenes weren’t enough, concerns were already raised for the players’ safety after it became apparent that the procession route itself wasn’t the most suitable, as various streets in and around Buenos Aires area threw up obstacles.
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In another video, the Argentinian players can be seen celebrating on the open-top bus when they are nearly struck by an electrical wire and have to duck their heads out of the way at the last second.
This could have ended very differently:
We’ve been so close to a tragic event at Argentina team celebration.
Messi, Di Maria, De Paul and Paredes went that close to being hanged by a high tension cable;
One several close calls during Argentina’s bus parade.
Given the fanaticism for football in the South American country, it came as no surprise that the bedlam soon got out of hand.
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To make matters worse, a 24-year-old man is said to have sadly died after falling from a roof during the chaos and a five-year-old boy fell into a coma after a chunk of marble fell from a statue as a result of the riotous celebrations.
Not only was this Argentina’s first World Cup since 1986, when Diego Maradona helped the team lift the trophy for the second time but, like his predecessor, this was also Lionel Messi‘s first — effectively completing the set when it comes to winning everything there is to win in football.
Understandably, virtually every Argentinian would have given anything to catch a glimpse of the national hero and sporting god and literally thousands of fans turned up at his home in Rosario as the car pulled into the drive.
The scenes outside Messi's house as he arrived back home in Rosario 😳🇦🇷
In fact, Messi and his teammates only managed to return home after local police decided to cancel the remainder of the parade and airlift the players out of the capital via helicopter.
The bus was supposed to reach the Obelisk monument as its final destination but simply couldn’t make it through the ridiculously large crowd, with the estimated eight-hour festivities lasting significantly longer and said to be still continuing in some parts as authorities try to restore some order.
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It is said that the city centre was packed with over five million people at its peak.
Hundreds of staff at four Greater Manchester hospitals to strike AGAIN next week
Emily Sergeant
Another round of strikes has been called at a handful of major Greater Manchester hospitals.
Amid ongoing disputes following the first set of strikes at the end of last month, it has now been announced that more than 350 Northern Care Alliance Foundation Trust (NCA) employees – including nurses, clinical support workers and housekeepers – who are members of the union UNISON will once again walk out for three days next week.
According to the union, the dispute centres on the NCA’s use of an outside agency called NHS Professionals (NHSP) to manage overtime.
When covering staff shortages, workers are entitled to time-and-a-half pay – however in some cases, staff earn less than they would on a normal shift, and some have even been missing out on more than £80 per shift, the union added.
Operating theatre staff were previously on picket lines in June, and although an option to resolve the row was initially tabled by NCA bosses, this has now fallen through.
Hundreds of staff at four of Greater Manchester’s hospitals are set to strike next week / Credit: Stephen Andrews (via Unsplash)
This means that staff at Salford Royal Hospital, Royal Oldham Hospital, Rochdale Infirmary, and Fairfield Hospital in Bury are walking out next week on Monday 14, Tuesday 15, and Thursday 17 September.
The union’s North West regional organiser, Kevin Dolan, said the trust had given ‘no indication’ that it’s willing to re-enter negotiations, adding that operating theatre services were ‘chronically under-staffed’ and staff were choosing to work extra shifts to cover shortages.
Ahead of the August strikes, the trust declared a critical incident to help it secure extra support and keep urgent surgery running, while also announcing that some procedures would have to be postponed.
Understandably, some disruption is expected at each of the hospitals on strike days.
But Gertie Nic Philib, who is the chief people and strategy officer at the Northern Care Alliance, said that the trust will do ‘everything we can to minimise the impact on patients’ and ‘maintain high standards of care and quality at all times.’
“We also have contingency plans in place for emergency situations,” they concluded.
Featured Image – Pxhere
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Stockport man jailed for life after kidnapping and sexually assaulting teenage girl
Emily Sergeant
A Stockport man has been sentenced to life in prison after kidnapping and sexually assaulting a teenage girl on her way home from the library.
Paul Sharpe has been sentenced to life imprisonment with an eight-year minimum term in prison after being convicted of a number of offences when subjected a teenage girl to what police called a ‘terrifying ordeal’ that lasted several hours back in May 2026.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) confirmed that the victim had been studying at Sale Library before beginning her journey home with friends at around 5:50pm and contacting her parents at 6:10pm to let them know she was on her way.
Twenty minutes later, she spoke to her boyfriend on the phone and said she was approximately five minutes away from home, but that her phone battery was about to die.
This was the last contact received from the victim that evening.
While walking along Bradgate Road in Altrincham, the victim noticed a grey Ford parked nearby and a man wearing a high-visibility jacket pressing doorbells in the area.
As she walked past, Sharpe approached her from behind, placed her in a headlock and threatened to stab her if she did not get into his vehicle.
Concerned that their daughter had not returned home, the victim’s family contacted police at 9:22pm to report her missing, and officers immediately launched an investigation to locate her.
Over the next several hours, the victim was subjected to and placed in a number of terrifying situations.
Sharpe drove the victim to several locations across Greater Manchester and Cheshire, before police located and arrested him at around 3:40am on 19 May 2026.
Following his arrested, 56-year-old Sharpe was convicted of kidnap, committing an offence with intent to commit a sexual offence, sexual assault, engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, threats with a bladed article, and administering a noxious substance with intent to injure, annoy or aggrieve.
“This was a terrifying ordeal for a young girl who was simply making her way home,” explained Detective Inspector Karl Perry, from GMP’s Criminal Investigation Department.
“Sharpe targeted a vulnerable victim, subjected her to hours of fear and intimidation, and went on to sexually assault her.
“The victim has shown immense courage throughout the investigation and court proceedings. Through her bravery and actions, she no doubt made it harder for Sharpe to carry out whatever acts he had planned.”
Danny Jones -
21st December 2022 
