Despite Argentina’s defeat against Spain in the World Cup final, fans flooded the streets to honor their national team’s achievements and especially to bid farewell to their iconic captain, Lionel Messi. However, the celebrations on Sunday night ended tragically with at least two deaths and multiple incidents around Buenos Aires’ Obelisco, where police detained 12 people.

In Rosario, Messi’s hometown, a 45-year-old woman named Érica Silvana M. died after falling from the back of a moving pickup truck during a celebratory caravan. She suffered a fatal head trauma upon hitting the asphalt.

Meanwhile, in Neuquén, a city in Patagonia, a man lost his life and three others were seriously injured following the unexpected explosion of a firecracker bomb during post-match gatherings. Notably, Neuquén prohibits the manufacture, sale, and use of any kind of fireworks, raising questions about the origin of the device. Local police have launched an investigation into the cause of the blast, and the injured were taken to a nearby hospital.

These two deaths add to a series of medical emergencies reported throughout the day. In Buenos Aires, a 67-year-old man died from cardiac arrest while watching the match on television. Authorities also reported nearly twenty injuries during the celebrations, including a 47-year-old man who fell approximately four meters near Avenida 9 de Julio, suffering a fractured foot. Emergency medical services (SAME) treated others for minor injuries caused by crowd pushing and crushing near giant screens set up for public viewing, as well as two young people intoxicated by alcohol.

The police intervention at the Obelisco on Sunday night led to clashes with fans who resisted dispersal by throwing bottles and other objects. Security forces responded with rubber bullets and tear gas, resulting in 12 arrests.

Argentina’s national team is expected to arrive at Ezeiza Airport this Monday afternoon, but without Messi, who flew from New York to Miami to rejoin his Major League Soccer club, Inter Miami, along with teammate Rodrigo de Paul. Although President Javier Milei had announced plans to declare a holiday to celebrate the team’s achievement, Messi’s absence and the lack of official communication from the Argentine Football Association (AFA) about public festivities have dampened expectations for large-scale celebrations.

This somber end to the World Cup journey highlights the complex emotions and challenges that come with national pride and public gatherings, underscoring the need for safer, more inclusive ways to celebrate collective moments.