Lionel Messi’s Nearly Thrown From Bus During Victory Parade In Buenos Aires: Watch

Image Credit: Rodrigo Abd/AP/Shutterstock

Duck! Lionel Messi avoided getting knocked off of a bus that he was riding on top of with his teammates as they arrived back in Buenos Aires, after winning the FIFA World Cup for Argentina. The Golden Ball winner, 35, was celebrating the win with his teammates on the roof of a double-decker bus, when they nearly fell off the top, on Tuesday, December 20.

The video from ESPN Argentina’s coverage of the parade showed Lionel with his Golden Ball trophy in between his teammates wearing team sweaters and their gold medals on the top of the bus, as some of his other teammates stood and waved below them. The bus had the phrase “Campeones Del Mundo,” which translates to “Champions of the World.” As they passed under a cable, they all ducked and avoided falling off the roof, but Messi’s teammate Leandro Paredes did lose his cap.

Lionel sits on the roof of the bus with his teammates. (Rodrigo Abd/AP/Shutterstock)

The Argentina Football team was given a warm welcome as they returned back after winning the World Cup against France with a 4-2 win in a penalty shoot-out. Leo, who managed to score a goal in each game he played, was given the Golden Ball award, becoming the first player to win the award twice. Before the parade, Lionel shared a photo of himself sleeping with the trophy on his Instagram, as well as an emotional montage where he spoke about how special it was to win the World Cup for Argentina.

Leo holds the Golden Ball after winning the World Cup. (Rodrigo Abd/AP/Shutterstock)

When Argentina won and he was given the Golden Ball, Messi celebrated by sharing a photo of himself holding the trophy on his Instagram. He also penned a heartfelt caption, reflecting on how special the moment was for him and thanking his wife and children. “So many times I dreamed it, so much I wanted it that I still don’t fall, I can’t believe it,” he wrote in the post. “We prove once again that Argentinians when we fight together and united we are able to achieve what we aim. The merit is of this group, which is above individuals, is the strength of all fighting for the same dream that was also the one of all Argentinians.”