If Tuesday's crowds in Buenos Aires are any indication, Argentina may be awakening from its worst hangover in history.

Argentina's desire to win the World Cup and bring the trophy home is undeniable. Proof of this can be seen in the enthusiasm with which supporters celebrated every goal scored during the tournament.

Argentina's pride is multifaceted. It's not only that they won the World Cup for the third time; they now have a footballing star in Lionel Messi, who can compete with their God-like Diego Maradona. Leo was supposed to get the one award he was missing, and he dared to pass it up.

This nation also needed cheering up, an opportunity to hope, laugh, and enjoy life again. The economic crisis in Argentina seems never-ending, and the country is struggling under the weight of ever-increasing prices. This event allowed them to relax and unwind, and boy did they.

As one Argentinian said, "We have suffered during these last years." "This is the very first time that there is cause for celebration."

The festivities on Sunday were massive, with the same kind of spontaneous party that started in the heart of Buenos Aires being held throughout the nation. Those events were dwarfed, though, by the revelry on Tuesday. The news outlets all agreed that it was the country's largest celebration.

"Today, people don't care whether they eat or not," chimed another partygoer. "Forget about the money if people are content and joyful. People are glad to part with it now."

An anticipated five million people flocked to the streets of Buenos Aires for the occasion, so preparations began early. By 8:00 a.m., scores of people were already napping in the parks while wearing their Messi 10 shirts.

It took a little while to figure out that, out of the whole country, only a tiny fraction would get to witness the procession pass by, thanks to the vast size of the bus transporting the squad. To most Argentines, however, it was all about basking in the day's warmth, celebrating a national holiday, and living in the present.

The heavy crowd around the Obelisk in the heart of Buenos Aires made it evident that the march would never be able to make its way across the city. When the procession took a different path, the crowds followed. The crowd applauded as the fighter planes flew above. Fan support continued even after the team left the bus and flew away in a helicopter, where they waved to the crowd from a distance.

The team provided the impetus for the celebration, but it was only the spark; the festivities continued and likely will for some time.

It is a proud and troubled nation. In Argentina, the national joke is that Argentines think they're more European than the rest of South America. But the triumph against France bolstered their sense of national pride as South Americans. That was infectious and has united the area, if only temporarily.

Overexcited supporters attempting to board the squad bus, inebriated Portes, and a strewn garbage can all spoke to the