There was therefore no repeat of the deadly bombings that marred celebrations after the team's semifinal victory last month.
While violence was much diminished Friday among Iraqis, the U.S. military reported four more American soldiers were killed in Baghdad ¡ª three in a single roadside bombing.
And in Najaf, the holy Shiite city south of the capital, yet another aide to the country's top Shiite spiritual leader was gunned down. Iraqi authorities tightened security around the residence and office of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani after the killing, the second slaying of one of his aides in less than two weeks.
A huge line of cars trailed behind the bus that sped the soccer team into Baghdad. It shot past Iraqi army security checkpoints lining the dangerous route. Hundreds more Iraqis danced and waved their national flag in the streets of the Green Zone.
Al-Maliki, whose beleaguered government was desperate for good news, appeared with team live on state television, smiling broadly and kissing each man three times on the cheek as they filed past him in warm-up suits.
"Greetings to the Lions of the Two Rivers who unified all Iraqis," al-Maliki said. "I say to the soccer team that you returned the smiles to Iraqi faces, while terrorists try to steal them."
The team, named the Lions of the Two Rivers, hasn't played a home game in 17 years because of fears of violence and U.N. sanctions under Saddam Hussein.
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