Madrid was painted red and yellow on Monday as Spain returned home and embarked on an open-top bus parade to celebrate the country’s second-ever World Cup win with hundreds of thousands of fans lined up along the city's streets. Manager Luis de la Fuente and his squad touched down in the Spanish capital early Monday afternoon. Before hitting the parade route, the team headed to Zarzuela Palace for a formal reception, where they were congratulated by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez as well as Spanish royals Queen Letizia and King Felipe VI.
From there, the players boarded their open-air bus to navigate a sea of red and yellow, making their way toward the Plaza de Cibeles, where many supporters had been gathering at the iconic square since the early morning hours. Many Spain fans celebrated well into Monday morning because the final was played across the Atlantic in East Rutherford, New Jersey, the final whistle blew just minutes before midnight local time in Spain. La Roja secured the title in New Jersey after a 1-0 win against Argentina, with forward Ferran Torres delivering the winning goal in extra time.
Thousands of supporters lined Madrid's historic avenues, cheering on the squad as the procession made its way toward Cibeles Square — the traditional epicenter for Spanish football celebrations. Marc Cucurella, who played every minute at left back for Spain during the World Cup, was spotted holding up the trophy and celebrating with fans on the parade route. Once the team arrived to Plaza de Cibeles, Cucurella got on the mic and sang along to a viral chant using his last name that went viral in 2024.
The last time Spain was World Champions, Lamine Yamal was barely old enough to walk. Sixteen years later, the 19-year old Barcelona star was in the middle of the championship celebrations as a key contributor. Yamal wasn't the only member of his family in the spotlight this summer though, as his younger brother Keyne stole the show with one viral moment after another.
The forward spotted someone in the crowd holding a poster of Keyne, eventually got it passed to him and held it up on the bus for everyone to see. Cucurella isn't the only player on Spain that can sing on the mic, as Yamal was spotted singing along to Bad Bunny on the parade bus. By the time the team arrived at Cibeles Square for the final ceremony, the energy was still high despite the night falling in Madrid.
Players were then introduced individually, with Spain's captain and Golden Ball winner, Rodri, receiving one of the biggest ovations of the night. The celebrations in Madrid signified the end to a 16-year championship drought for the country. After fully transitioning from veterans that defined previous eras to a roster led by teenage stars, all-around midfielders like Rodri and a stellar defense that only conceded once all tournament, Spain's day in the capital marked the arrival of a new team at the top of international football.
