Nearly two million Spaniards descended on central Madrid on Monday to welcome home the national football team following their historic World Cup victory. The squad, known as La Roja, secured a 1-0 win against Argentina in the final held in New Jersey on Sunday night. The team arrived at Madrid’s Barajas airport at 2:30pm local time on Monday, where captain Rodri emerged from the plane waving the trophy with his medal around his neck. Hundreds of fans, many dressed in national team colors and waving red-and-yellow flags, awaited the champions at terminal four.
Following their arrival, the team visited the Zarzuela palace for an audience with King Felipe, Queen Letizia, and their daughters, Princess Leonor and Princess Sofía. King Felipe praised the team’s determination, calling the win an epic triumph and thanking them for the joy they brought to the country. He acknowledged the struggles and criticism the team endured, contrasting it with the pride of bringing the cup home. Later, the players and staff visited the Moncloa palace to meet with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who offered his massive thanks for their efforts. During the visit, Rodri reflected on the victory, noting that this generation grew up watching Iker Casillas and Andrés Iniesta win in 2010, and that repeating that success is the highest achievement in football.
The highlight for the supporters was a victory parade that traveled from Moncloa to the Plaza de Cibeles. Despite the 34C evening heat, fans crowded the route and the square, with the central government’s delegate in Madrid estimating attendance at approximately 1.8 million people. Madrid mayor José Luis Martínez Almeida noted that the city had worked hard to ensure a proper homecoming and praised the peaceful nature of the celebrations. He noted that despite the massive crowds, there were practically no incidents in the city.
This victory marks Spain's second men’s World Cup title following their 2010 success in South Africa. The win has been celebrated across the political spectrum, with Prime Minister Sánchez and opposition leaders Alberto Núñez Feijóo and Santiago Abascal all offering public congratulations. To commemorate the achievement, the Spanish postal service, Correos, has announced a special red-colored stamp featuring the word CAMPEONES and two stars to represent the country’s two World Cup victories.
Felipe also praised their fortitude, saying: “You’ve suffered, you’ve come home bruised and tired, you’ve endured some criticism, but what is all that compared with the joy of bringing the cup home?”
“WE ARE WORLD CHAMPIONS!!” Sánchez wrote in a social media post. “What an amazing national squad. Thank you, team.”
