A Million People in the Streets and Grand Celebrations: Spanish World Champions Arrive Home

Coach Luis de la Fuente was the first to disembark the plane, followed by the tournament's best player, Rodri, who hoisted the World Cup trophy above his head at the top of the stairs. The delegation was then scheduled to meet with King Felipe VI at Zarzuela Palace and be received by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez at Moncloa Palace. Afterward, the players and coaching staff embarked on an open-top bus tour through the streets of Madrid to the iconic Plaza de Cibeles, where a celebratory ceremony was planned. Organizers anticipated approximately one million people in the streets.

 Spain secured its second World Cup title, building on its previous triumph in 2010 in South Africa after a 16-year wait. Alongside the women's national team's victory at the 2023 World Cup, Spain became the first country to simultaneously hold both the men's and women's FIFA World Cup titles.

Madrid had already begun celebrating the victory on Sunday night into Monday morning. Thousands of fans filled Puerta del Sol square and other parts of the capital, singing, dancing, and setting off flares. However, the celebrations were overshadowed by a tragedy in Salamanca, where local authorities reported that a 13-year-old boy died after a fountain he had climbed with friends during the festivities collapsed. AFP and AP agencies reported the incident.