The World Cup champions, the Spanish national team, returned to their homeland and took part in a parade on open buses through central Madrid. The welcoming ceremony was presided over by King Felipe VI of Spain, and the players were also received by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, aljazeera.com reports.

The Spanish team defeated Argentina 1-0 in the tournament final, with Ferran Torres scoring the winning goal in extra time. This is Spain's second World Cup title – the first was won in 2010.

The parade through the central streets of Madrid attracted approximately one million fans. The column of players headed to Plaza Cibeles, where they were greeted by crowds of fans wearing the red and yellow colors of the national flag.

Team captain Rodri, who descended the plane with the trophy in his hands, called the victory the greatest achievement of his career. He said that for a generation raised on the example of Iker Casillas and Andrés Iniesta, emulating their success is the greatest achievement in football.

Amid the festive celebrations, a tragedy occurred: a 13-year-old boy died around midnight in the city of Ciudad Rodrigo when a fountain collapsed under the weight of fans who had climbed onto it during the celebration.

With the Spanish women's team's victory at the 2023 World Cup, the country holds both the men's and women's national team titles simultaneously for the first time. In 2030, Spain will participate in the World Cup as one of the host countries, alongside Portugal and Morocco.