Spain come home to a million in Madrid — and become the first nation to hold both World Cups at once

The trophy was up before the bus

Spain's homecoming did not wait for the parade. As the squad's plane landed in Madrid on Monday, Rodri — named the tournament's best player a day earlier, and the reigning Ballon d'Or winner — held the World Cup trophy aloft on the tarmac. The 26-man squad was received by King Felipe VI and then met Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez at La Moncloa, the seat of government, before boarding an open-top bus.

Moncloa to Cibeles, about a million expected

The route ran from Moncloa through central Madrid to Cibeles Square, the traditional gathering point for the national team's celebrations. Around one million people were expected to line the streets. Authorities deployed roughly 2,050 police officers and 400 Civil Guard personnel and adjusted transport for the crowds. Fans staked out spots near Cibeles from late morning, carrying umbrellas against a sun that was forecast to push temperatures toward 35C. The celebrations were not confined to Madrid; squares filled in Barcelona and other cities too.

First to hold both World Cups at once

The day carried a milestone that is easy to miss in the noise of a parade. Spain's women won the World Cup in 2023, beating England 1-0 in the final in Sydney. With the men now champions in 2026, Spain became the first nation ever to hold the men's and women's World Cup titles simultaneously — a double no country had managed since the two competitions began. The men also hold the 2024 European Championship, won 2-1 over England, so Spain are reigning champions of both Europe and the world at once.

A second star, sixteen years on

The final in New Jersey finished 1-0 after extra time, settled by Ferran Torres. It was Spain's second World Cup, and the first since 2010, when they beat the Netherlands in South Africa. There is a strange symmetry to it: both of Spain's world titles were won 1-0 in extra time — Iniesta's winner against the Netherlands in Johannesburg in 2010, and now Torres against an Argentina reduced to ten men. Across the run Spain conceded a single goal, and the champions' bus rolled through Madrid a day later with that record and a second star to show for it.