Spain‘s World Cup-winning squad returned to Madrid on Monday to a heroes’ welcome as thousands of fans gathered to celebrate the nation’s second FIFA World Cup title ahead of a victory parade through the capital.
La Roja were crowned world champions after Ferran Torres scored the decisive goal in extra time to secure a 1-0 victory over defending champions Argentina in Sunday’s final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
The triumph sparked celebrations across Spain, with jubilant supporters lining the streets of Madrid to welcome the players and coaching staff home as they embarked on an open-top bus parade with the World Cup trophy.
Spain’s victory ended a 16-year wait for another world title, having previously lifted the trophy for the first time in South Africa in 2010.
While Spain celebrated their historic success, Argentina returned home disappointed after surrendering their crown in a closely contested final.
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The defeat also came amid controversy, with FIFA launching an investigation into incidents involving members of the Argentine team following the final whistle. Football’s governing body is expected to review the events before deciding whether disciplinary action is warranted.
The final remained deadlocked after 90 minutes before Torres struck early in the second period of extra time to hand Spain the trophy and deny Argentina captain Lionel Messi what is widely expected to be his final opportunity to win the World Cup.
For Messi and Argentina, the defeat marked the end of their reign as world champions, while Spain celebrated the beginning of a new era led by one of the tournament’s youngest and brightest squads.
