Spain celebrate 2026 World Cup victory with Madrid parade

Spain's men's football team returned to Madrid on Monday afternoon to celebrate their 2026 World Cup triumph, with thousands of fans lining the streets for an open-top bus parade through the capital.

The squad, led by manager Luis de la Fuente and captain Rodri, landed in Madrid and first visited Zarzuela Palace to meet King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia, Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofia before the parade began at 18:00 BST in 35°C heat.

Parade highlights

• Rodri held the World Cup trophy aloft at the front of the bus as it moved through the Moncloa district in northwest Madrid.
• Fans gathered hours early at iconic spots such as Puerta de Alcala and the Cibeles Fountain to catch a glimpse of the champions.
• Ferran Torres, who scored the winning goal in the final, enjoyed a particularly loud ovation from the crowd.
• Lamine Yamal held up a sign referencing the post-final scuffles between Spain and Argentina players, jokingly calling for a boxing match between Gavi and Leandro Paredes.
• Manager Luis de la Fuente was thrown in the air by his players when he took the stage at the final stop.

Historic achievement

Rodri joined an elite group by becoming only the fourth men's player to win the World Cup, European Championship, Champions League and Ballon d'Or. The victory also marks Spain's first men's World Cup title since 2010.

The celebration capped a triumphant campaign for La Roja, who defeated France in the final on Sunday. FIFA has since opened an investigation into post-match incidents involving Argentina players, but the Spanish squad focused on their historic achievement as they paraded through the capital.