Printed On 20 Jul 2026
Spain’s World Cup-winning football team has returned house, and an estimated crowd of just about 2 million was readily available to greet the squad by the streets of Madrid.
The 26 gamers and their teaching employees met with the nation’s royals and Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Monday after arriving within the Spanish capital a day after beating Argentina 1-0 within the closing in New Jersey, United States.
“Thanks to the coaches and gamers for the fashion of play, the hassle, and the victory,” Sanchez mentioned. “We have now actually loved watching you play.”
The squad then boarded an open-top bus for a raucous parade by central Madrid. “Stars shine collectively” was written on the bus, which additionally carried images of the footballers.
The gamers carried the World Cup trophy and wore shirts with “Somos Campeones” (“We Are Champions”). They danced and interacted with the followers alongside the route.
“It’s been an emotional and proud expertise to signify a beautiful nation with such passionate and devoted followers,” Spain coach Luis de la Fuente mentioned earlier than the parade began. “We’re stuffed with pleasure.”
The squad travelled down Madrid’s historic avenues from close to Moncloa Palace, the prime minister’s official residence, to Cibeles Sq., the place authorities informed native media that some 120,000 folks have been readily available for a ceremony.
Teams of followers had begun securing their spots close to Cibeles late on Monday morning forward of the group’s arrival, bringing umbrellas to guard towards the solar and temperatures of as much as 35 Celsius (95 F).
The sq. is the place earlier Spain groups and their supporters have usually gathered to have a good time. Additionally it is the standard celebration spot for Actual Madrid when it wins titles.
Singers Aitana, Ana Mena, and Lola Índigo have been set to entertain the gang on the ceremony at Cibeles.
Officers estimated that about 1.8 million folks welcomed the group in Madrid.
Spain walked off with the trophy on Sunday after Ferran Torres scored the winner in additional time to safe their second World Cup title – and the primary since 2010 in South Africa.
The group was congratulated by the leaders of the three international locations that cohosted the event: US President Donald Trump, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
After the ultimate whistle, Madrid erupted into celebrations, with 1000’s of supporters pouring into the streets from bars and eating places, many draped in Spanish flags or sporting the group’s colors.
Crowds packed the capital’s Puerta del Sol and different main squares, singing, dancing, and setting off flares whereas automobile horns blared.
Many celebrated Sunday’s victory lengthy into the early hours of Monday morning.
“I’m very glad. I’ve slept three or 4 hours, however for the group, I’ll do no matter it takes,” 19-year-old Victor Alvarez mentioned.
The boys’s victory, mixed with the Girls’s World Cup received by Spain in 2023, makes the European nation the primary to carry each titles concurrently.
“Actually, it was very thrilling. We most well-liked to not go to any bar or something, to expertise it at house, centered and really glad, very joyful,” 59-year-old civil servant Gema Rodero mentioned.
Celebrations have been dampened, nonetheless, after native authorities reported {that a} 13-year-old in Salamanca, northwest of Madrid, had died after a fountain he had climbed onto with pals to have a good time had collapsed.
For a lot of younger supporters, the triumph is their first time witnessing the boys’s group elevate the trophy and the nationwide delirium that has adopted.
