New York, NY, USA - June 24, 2024

Giant flags, Messi jerseys and smoke flares. Songs and excitement at the top of their lungs. That's how more than five thousand Argentinians lived the preview of the match that the national team will play this Tuesday against Chile, for the second date of the group stage of the Copa America. The Times Square area, the most crowded by thousands of tourists in New York, experienced a true blue and white party.

Something unprecedented for a country accustomed to other rituals.
On the eve of Lionel Scaloni's team's match at the Metlife in New Jersey, thousands of fans of the Albiceleste made themselves seen and felt in the heart of Manhattan. The move was scheduled for 18:00 (19:00 Argentina time). But an hour before, the crowd began to gather under the red steps, in the triangle formed by Seventh Avenue and Broadway. "Boys", "Anyone who doesn't jump is an Englishman" and other hits were chanted before the captive gaze of the inhabitants of the Big Apple. There were also greetings for Lionel Messi on his 37th birthday.
Traffic on Seventh Avenue continued as usual: honking horns and traffic jams. On the pavement in front of the red stairs of Manhattan's theatre district, tourists and locals stood and watched, not understanding what was going on. Few know what the Copa America is, or that a match between Argentina and Chile will be played nearby tomorrow. But the mere mention of Messi was enough. Here he is known to Latinos and also to Americans.

Groups of young people, entire families, friends, couples. Many of the fans present in the run-up to the national team's second Copa America match came from Argentina. Many others live in New York and in the state of New Jersey: the second largest Argentinean community in the USA is concentrated here.

With images in association with LiveWalkingNyc.

SHOTLIST:
1. Several Argentinian fans in Times Square.