Spain’s World Cup-winning soccer team returned home on Monday. The victorious 26-man squad received a warm welcome from the country’s royals before meeting with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.
The team will celebrate with a parade through central Madrid on an open-top bus. Hundreds of thousands of fans are expected to line the streets, as the parade moves from Moncloa Palace to Cibeles Square. A ceremony for the players will take place at the square, a traditional gathering spot for Spain’s sports celebrations.
Spain claimed the World Cup title after defeating Argentina 1-0 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. This marks the second World Cup victory for Spain, following their 2010 win in South Africa. Leaders from the co-hosting nations, U.S. President Donald Trump, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, extended their congratulations.
After the final whistle, Madrid’s streets filled with revelers. Crowds gathered in Puerta de Sol and other major squares, celebrating with songs, dances, and flares, while car horns resonated through the city.
Many fans continued their celebrations late into the early hours of Monday. Victor Álvarez, a 19-year-old fan, expressed his joy despite limited sleep.
This victory, paired with Spain’s Women’s World Cup win in 2023, establishes Spain as the first country to hold both titles simultaneously. For many young Spaniards, this was their first experience witnessing the men’s team achieve World Cup glory.
However, celebrations were overshadowed by a tragic incident in Salamanca, where a 13-year-old boy died after a fountain collapsed as he climbed it to celebrate the victory.
Today, Spain stands in stark contrast to its situation in 2010, when the nation faced a debt crisis and high unemployment. Now, the economy is on the rise, unemployment is halved, and regional tensions have eased. The country is among the fastest-growing major economies in the Eurozone.
Fans began assembling near Cibeles Square early Monday with umbrellas for shade, anticipating temperatures reaching 35 Celsius (95 Fahrenheit).
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