The arrivals lounge at Malta International Airport yesterday afternoon was chock-a-block with hundreds of people waiting for the arrival of the same plane – the Air Malta flight from Dusseldorf.

Teenagers, elderly, youngsters and whole families hailing from different parts of Malta all converged at the airport with the same purpose: to give Glen Vella, Malta’s participant in this year’s edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, a hero’s welcome.

He failed to make it to the final night on Saturday for just a single elusive point. His song, One Life, placed 11th with 54 points; Switzerland’s got 55 points. But anyone passing through MIA would be forgiven for thinking the singer won the 56th edition of the Eurovision festival.

Welcome posters and banners were all over the place, children were carried on shoulders for a better view of the singer. Some asked journalists to get them any extra Glen Vella specs.

When he finally emerged from the lounge, waving a Maltese flag, he was practically mobbed. Children were passed on to him; autograph books were thrown in his hand; septuagenarians were hugging him and not letting him go; others were screeching: “I touched his shoulder!”, “I kissed him!”

Glen looked every inch visibly touched. “It was an incredible experience. I wish I could do it all over again,” he said, exclaiming his trademark “Faqa’ sew!” (truly fabulous).

He was asked how he felt about not making it to the final night for one point: “There’s nothing we can do. We have to look ahead but, honestly, at the moment I’m so overwhelmed by the people I’m not even thinking about the points,” he said, his voice chocking with emotion.

Ever the entertainer, he delighted the crowds with an impromptu rendition of One Life and the crowd was only too happy to join in. Such was the crush of the mob he had to be escorted out to a waiting car by about 10 policemen forming a human chain around him.

Paul Giordimania, the composer of One Life, temporarily acting as a bodyguard and pulling Glen out of the mobbing crowds when it got too thick, shook his head in disbelieve when asked whether they had been expecting such a warm welcome: “We know he’s well loved but this was totally unexpected”.

He said the news that they did not make it to the final for one point was a big blow for them. “We felt more disappointed yesterday when we got to know the close-shave scores than after the semi final,” he said.

The crowd was oblivious to the disappointing placing. When asked, most said they were there because they “absolutely love Glen”. Doris Bonello, of Għaxaq, 55, said she was there to support Glen “because he made Malta proud”. Even though he did not make it to the final? “Of course, it’s not the final that counts, it’s the good performance. You can win the title and give a bad performance. What’s the point?” she said.

Junior Eurovision contestant Nicole Azzopardi, 14, was among the first waiting at the airport for her singing teacher. “It was a disappointment he didn’t go through but his performance was perfect. To me he is already a winner.” Among the crowd were also Glen’s relatives. “I think he’s satisfied because he gave it his all and he is such an optimist,” said his cousin, Josianne Abela ­Nelson.

His aunt Miriam Nelson, from Birżebbuġa, the only aunt who stayed behind in Malta, said she felt she was about to faint: “I was so sad when his song didn’t make it to the top 10. I couldn’t stop crying. I thought I was going to die.”

Perhaps the most sensible welcome of all was that of Glen’s dog Bobby, who was there waiting for him patiently in a friend’s arms. Oblivious to the commotion, Bobby gave Glen a little lick and a quick wag of the tail.