Spain's national football team landed in Madrid on Sunday afternoon, returning from New Jersey where they defeated Argentina 1-0 in the 2026 World Cup final after extra time. Captain Rodri Hernández disembarked carrying the trophy as hundreds of fans greeted the squad at Barajas airport.
The celebrations follow a historic tournament for Spain, who kept seven clean sheets and conceded just one goal throughout the competition. The victory makes Spain the first nation to hold both the men's and women's World Cup titles simultaneously, after the women's team won in 2023.
King Felipe VI will receive the team at Zarzuela Palace before an open-top bus parade from Moncloa to Cibeles Square, where authorities expect crowds exceeding 60,000. Madrid has deployed over 2,000 police officers and closed major thoroughfares for the event. However, celebrations turned tragic when a 13-year-old boy died in Ciudad Rodrigo after a fountain collapsed under the weight of supporters.