Almost two million Spaniards descended on central Madrid on Monday night to welcome the national team home after their historic World Cup victory against Argentina. La Roja beat the defending champions 1-0 in the final in New Jersey on Sunday night, securing their second men's World Cup title, the first since 2010.
The squad touched down at Madrid's Barajas airport at 2.30pm local time on Monday, where captain Rodri waved the trophy aloft as he emerged from the plane, his medal from the previous night around his neck. Hundreds of delighted fans, many in Spain strips and carrying the red-and-yellow rojigualda flag, waited in terminal four for a glimpse of the freshly minted champions.
“Nearly two million fans packed Madrid to welcome Spain's World Cup-winning team after their 1-0 victory over Argentina.”
Their first stop was an audience with King Felipe, Queen Letizia and their daughters, Princess Leonor and Princess Sofía, at the Zarzuela palace, northwest of Madrid. "It's been an epic triumph," the king said. "It's been a privilege and a joy for the four of us to see you play in the final and to be able to celebrate with you that moment of lifting the cup, with immense thanks from all of Spain." Felipe also praised their fortitude: "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?"
The team then visited the Moncloa palace – the office and residence of the prime minister – to see Pedro Sánchez. The socialist prime minister offered the players and technical staff "massive thanks … for the game, for the effort and for the victory". Rodri said that "winning for your country is the most beautiful thing there is", adding: "This generation grew up watching [Iker] Casillas and [Andrés] Iniesta lift the cup [in 2010] and having been able to do that today is the biggest thing you can do in football."
The highlight for the fans – who braved the 34C evening heat – was the victory parade that wound its way from Moncloa to the Plaza de Cibeles just outside Madrid city hall. The team approached in an open-topped bus as crowds crowded into the square, some sheltering from the sun under umbrellas. The central government's delegate in Madrid put the attendance at nearly two million.
Meanwhile, Argentina captain Lionel Messi broke his silence on the defeat with an emotional statement, after snubbing interviews in the wake of the loss.