The Spanish city of Los Palacios y Villafranca recently held a unique celebration to honor FIFA World Cup stars Fabian Ruiz and Gavi following their return from the United States. As part of the festivities, the players were presented with special gifts of tomatoes equaling their own weight and received the distinct honor of having two local stadiums renamed after them. The Marismas and San Sebastian stadiums have been officially rebranded to carry the names of Fabian Ruiz and Pablo Paez Gavira, known as Gavi.
Fabian Ruiz played a pivotal role throughout Spain's successful World Cup campaign this summer. He participated in all eight matches for the eventual champions, starting in the final against Argentina and scoring a crucial goal during the quarterfinals against Belgium. Gavi also contributed to the squad, logging 77 minutes across two appearances. Although he did not record a goal or an assist, he was noted for his involvement in a post-match incident with Leandro Paredes.
Spain secured the title with a 1-0 victory against Argentina, courtesy of a 106th-minute goal from Ferran Torres. The team concluded the tournament unbeaten, having won seven of their eight matches while keeping seven clean sheets and conceding only one goal. Reflecting on the triumph, Spain coach Luis de la Fuente praised his squad's unity and values, stating that he is moved by the generation of players who have remained true to their philosophy. He expressed immense pride in the team, describing them as world-class talents who have achieved everything possible together.
Regarding his own future following the historic win, De la Fuente indicated that he is in no rush to make a decision. He emphasized that the team should focus on enjoying the current success, noting that while future matches in September are on the horizon, the priority remains taking things one step at a time. Spain, who also hold the UEFA EURO 2024 title, recently experienced a loss against Portugal in the 2025 UEFA Nations League.
