Spain World Cup champions return home to royal welcome in Madrid

Spanish supporters celebrate in central Madrid after their 1-0 victory over Argentina in the FIFA World Cup final on Sunday 19 July 2026. - AP Photo

Spain's World Cup-winning football team returned home on Monday to a royal welcome before meeting Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, with hundreds of thousands of fans expected to celebrate their triumph during an open-top bus parade through central Madrid.

The 26-man squad was received by Spain's royal family before heading to the prime minister's office. Later, the players will travel on an open-top bus from near Moncloa Palace, the prime minister's official residence, to Cibeles Square, where a public celebration is scheduled.

Cibeles Square has long been the traditional venue for celebrations by Spain's national teams and their supporters.

Spain secured the World Cup title on Sunday by defeating defending champions Argentina 1-0 in the final in East Rutherford, New Jersey. It was Spain's second men's World Cup triumph after lifting the trophy for the first time in South Africa in 2010. 

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The team's victory was congratulated by the leaders of the tournament's three co-hosting nations — U.S. President Donald Trump, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

The win sparked celebrations across Madrid on Sunday night as thousands of fans filled streets, bars and public squares, waving Spanish flags, singing, dancing and sounding car horns. Many continued celebrating into the early hours of Monday.

"I'm very happy. I've slept only three or four hours, but for the team, it's worth it," said 19-year-old supporter Victor Álvarez.

With the men's World Cup title adding to Spain's Women's World Cup victory in 2023, the country has become the first nation to hold both world titles at the same time.

"It was a very emotional moment. We stayed at home to watch the match and enjoyed every minute," said 59-year-old civil servant Gema Rodero.

The celebrations were overshadowed by the death of a 13-year-old boy in Salamanca after a fountain he had climbed with friends to celebrate the victory collapsed, local authorities said.

For many young Spaniards, Sunday's triumph marked the first time they had seen the men's national team win the World Cup.

Fans began gathering near Cibeles Square on Monday morning, many carrying umbrellas to shield themselves from temperatures reaching 35 degrees Celsius, as they waited to welcome the champions. -  AP/UNB