Madrid welcomes World Cup champions Spain with massive parade
Spain‘s World Cup-winning football team received a royal welcome and celebrated with an estimated 1.8 million people during a parade through Madrid. The squad, comprising 26 players and their coaching staff, met with the country’s royals and Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Monday after their victory against Argentina in the final held in New Jersey, United States.
Prime Minister Sanchez commended the team, stating, “Thank you to the coaches and players for the style of play, the effort, and the victory. We have truly enjoyed watching you play.” Following their official engagements, the team embarked on a celebratory parade aboard an open-top bus through central Madrid, which bore the message “Stars shine together” alongside player photographs.
Celebrations Across Madrid
The players, donning shirts emblazoned with “Somos Campeones” (“We Are Champions”), carried the World Cup trophy and engaged with fans lining the route. Coach Luis de la Fuente expressed his joy before the parade, remarking, “It’s been an emotional and proud experience to represent a wonderful country with such passionate and devoted fans. We are filled with joy.”
The parade route traversed Madrid’s historic avenues, culminating at Cibeles Square. Authorities reported that approximately 120,000 people gathered at the square for a ceremony. Fans had begun to secure their spots early on Monday morning, some using umbrellas to shield themselves from temperatures reaching up to 35 Celsius (95 F).
Cibeles Square is a traditional venue for celebrations by Spain‘s national teams and is also a customary celebration spot for Real Madrid when they secure titles. Singers Aitana, Ana Mena, and Lola Índigo were scheduled to perform for the crowd at the ceremony.
The victory on Sunday, secured by a winning goal from Ferran Torres in extra time, marked Spain‘s second World Cup title and their first since 2010. The team received congratulations from the leaders of the co-hosting nations of the tournament: US President Donald Trump, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
A Historic Triumph
Following the final whistle, Madrid erupted in celebrations, with thousands of supporters filling the streets from bars and restaurants. Many were adorned in Spanish flags or the team’s colours. Crowds gathered in Puerta del Sol and other major squares, singing, dancing, and setting off flares, accompanied by blaring car horns. These celebrations continued into the early hours of Monday morning.
For many younger supporters, this triumph represents their first experience of the men’s team lifting the trophy and the widespread national jubilation that followed. The men’s victory, combined with Spain’s win in the Women’s World Cup in 2023, makes the European nation the first to hold both titles simultaneously.
The journey to victory was a collective effort, culminating in New York but built over 51 days. Coach Luis de la Fuente, who previously won the European Championship with the under-19s and under-21s, and then with the senior side, led the team to this World Cup triumph. His coaching career began in the third tier with Deportivo Alavés before he joined the Spanish federation’s youth system.
Players such as Rodrigo Hernández, who was 14 when Spain won their first World Cup in 2010, played a significant role. Hernández was awarded the trophy for the tournament’s best player. Other notable individual accolades included Pau Cubarsí receiving the young player award and Unai Simón earning the Golden Glove. Each player also received a replica of the trophy in a black Louis Vuitton trunk and another made of Lego.
The team’s dominance in the final was evident, with Ferran Torres‘s goal being Spain‘s 20th shot, while Argentina managed only one shot in the 115th minute, none of which were on target. This marked only the third time in 900 World Cup games, for which Opta has statistics, that a team failed to register a shot on target in a final.
In the dressing room after the match, champagne was opened. Marc Cucurella, who had made a pre-match promise to get a tattoo of De la Fuente‘s face if Spain won the World Cup, was reportedly contemplating the placement of the tattoo.
Nico Williams found his mother in the front row to give her his medal, while Lamine Yamal embraced Lionel Messi, who stood for the young player. These moments underscored the personal significance of the victory for the players and their connections beyond the pitch.
The team departed the dressing room laden with bags containing pieces of history, including shirts, balls, and boots, and even cut pieces of the net. They also received NBA-style rings to commemorate their achievement.
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Source: aljazeera.com