Soccer: 750,000 welcome victorious Liverpool home

LIVERPOOL, England - Deliriously happy Liverpool fans celebrated their team's return home after the Reds' thrilling Champions League final win over AC Milan in Istanbul.

Supporters dressed in Liverpool shirts and hoarse from nearly 24 hours of celebrations packed the streets, clapping and waving club flags and banners as their heroes paraded their trophy on an open-top bus.

Hundreds of thousands of cheering fans of all ages jumped, screamed and danced in the streets -- some running along and behind the bus on its journey around the city. Others perched on traffic lights and road signs or waved from windows, jubilant after Wednesday's penalty shoot-out victory.

Police confirmed the crowd was around 750,000.

"It is a historical event. You will never see anything like it again," said Ray Lewis, 50.

"It's a tremendous lift for the city and an achievement for the team."

Liverpool's dramatic victory in Istanbul after they came from 3-0 down at half time to draw 3-3 within 15 minutes of the re-start sparked joy among fans on Merseyside and in Istanbul.

"It's absolutely amazing. I'm ecstatic, it's the best feeling in the world and I'm glad I'm alive to see it," said Danny Heussey, a student sitting on top of a car.

The players waved back to their supporters, some who strained on their tiptoes, desperate to catch a glimpse of captain Steven Gerrard and his teammates.

About 20 police horses escorted the team bus around the city.

Children dressed in club shirts sat on their fathers' shoulders holding trophy-like balloons; mothers held babies draped in the team flag outside their Anfield home ground.

Even fans from Liverpool's other Premier League team, Everton, showed their faces.

"It's giving me goosebumps. Even Evertonians are turning up," said Paul Phillips, 25.

The Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Alan Dean, greeted Gerrard and manager Rafael Benitez off their plane from Istanbul as they held the trophy earlier on Thursday.

Many Liverpudlians took the day off work to welcome the team back home.

"It's our cup and we're keeping it. It's a once in a lifetime," said Kevin Smith, 37.

- REUTERS, NEWSTALK ZB