World Cup champions Spain return to royal welcome, parade through Madrid

Tens of thousands of fans greet La Roja arsenic they question down Madrid’s historical avenues to Cibeles Square.

Spain’s World Cup-winning shot team has returned home, and an estimated assemblage of astir 2 cardinal was connected manus to greet the squad done the streets of Madrid.

The 26 players and their coaching unit met with the country’s royals and Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez connected Monday aft arriving successful the Spanish superior a time aft beating Argentina 1-0 successful the last successful New Jersey, United States.

“Thank you to the coaches and players for the benignant of play, the effort, and the victory,” Sanchez said. “We person genuinely enjoyed watching you play.”

The squad past boarded an open-top autobus for a raucous parade done cardinal Madrid. “Stars radiance together” was written connected the bus, which besides carried photos of the footballers.

Spain fans battalion Cibeles Square successful Madrid arsenic they await the team’s accomplishment [Pierre-Philippe Marcou/AFP]

The players carried the World Cup trophy and wore shirts with “Somos Campeones” (“We Are Champions”). They danced and interacted with the fans on the route.

“It’s been an affectional and arrogant acquisition to correspond a fantastic state with specified passionate and devoted fans,” Spain manager Luis de la Fuente said earlier the parade started. “We are filled with joy.”

The squad travelled down Madrid’s historical avenues from adjacent Moncloa Palace, the premier minister’s authoritative residence, to Cibeles Square, wherever authorities told section media that immoderate 120,000 radical were connected manus for a ceremony.

Spain’s squad airs with their trophy connected the tarmac upon their accomplishment from the US [Oscar Del Pozo/AFP]

Groups of fans had begun securing their spots adjacent Cibeles precocious connected Monday greeting up of the team’s arrival, bringing umbrellas to support against the prima and temperatures of up to 35 Celsius (95 F).

The quadrate is wherever erstwhile Spain teams and their supporters person typically gathered to celebrate. It is besides the accepted solemnisation spot for Real Madrid erstwhile it wins titles.

Singers Aitana, Ana Mena, and Lola Índigo were acceptable to entertain the assemblage astatine the ceremonial astatine Cibeles.

Lamine Yamal celebrates connected a signifier astatine Cibeles Square [Oscar Del Pozo/AFP]

Officials estimated that astir 1.8 cardinal radical welcomed the squad successful Madrid.

Spain walked disconnected with the trophy connected Sunday aft Ferran Torres scored the victor successful other clip to unafraid their 2nd World Cup rubric – and the archetypal since 2010 successful South Africa.

The squad was congratulated by the leaders of the 3 countries that cohosted the tournament: US President Donald Trump, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

After the last whistle, Madrid erupted into celebrations, with thousands of supporters pouring into the streets from bars and restaurants, galore draped successful Spanish flags oregon wearing the team’s colours.

Crowds packed the capital’s Puerta del Sol and different large squares, singing, dancing, and mounting disconnected flares portion car horns blared.

Many celebrated Sunday’s triumph agelong into the aboriginal hours of Monday morning.

“I’m precise happy. I’ve slept 3 oregon 4 hours, but for the team, I’ll bash immoderate it takes,” 19-year-old Victor Alvarez said.

The men’s victory, combined with the Women’s World Cup won by Spain successful 2023, makes the European federation the archetypal to clasp some titles simultaneously.

“Honestly, it was precise exciting. We preferred not to spell to immoderate barroom oregon anything, to acquisition it astatine home, focused and precise happy, precise joyful,” 59-year-old civilian servant Gema Rodero said.

Celebrations were dampened, however, aft section authorities reported that a 13-year-old successful Salamanca, northwest of Madrid, had died aft a fountain helium had climbed onto with friends to observe had collapsed.

For galore young supporters, the triumph is their archetypal clip witnessing the men’s squad assistance the trophy and the nationalist delirium that has followed.