Spain’s World Cup champions return home for royal welcome and parade in front of almost 2 million

MADRID (AP) — Spain's World Cup-winning soccer team returned home on Monday and an estimated crowd of almost 2 million was on hand to greet the squad through the streets of Madrid.

The 26 players and their coaching staff met with the country's royals, and then with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, after arriving in the Spanish capital a day after beating Argentina 1-0 in the final in New Jersey.

“Thank you to the coaches and players for the style of play, the effort and the victory,” Sánchez said. “We have truly enjoyed watching you play.”

The squad then boarded an open-top bus for a raucous parade through central Madrid. “Stars shine together” was written on the bus, which also carried photos of the footballers.

Players — carrying the World Cup trophy and wearing shirts with the words Somos Campeones (We Are Champions) — danced and interacted with the fans along the route.

“It's been an emotional and proud experience to represent a wonderful country with such passionate and devoted fans," Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said before the parade started. “We are filled with joy.”

The squad traveled down Madrid's historic avenues from near Moncloa Palace, the prime minister’s official residence, to Cibeles Square, where authorities told local media that some 120,000 people were on hand for a ceremony.

Players were introduced one by one before entering the stage set up at the square. Each picked the song to be played when they came in. Álex Baena, celebrating his 25th birthday, entered with the World Cup trophy.

Coach De la Fuente was thrusted into the air by his players after being introduced. The coach was among those who sang along to the song being played for them.

Striker Borja Iglesias featured as a D.J. at one point, with his teammates dancing on the stage.

Singers Aitana, Ana Mena and Lola Índigo were among those entertaining the crowd and the players.

The ceremony ended with the whole Spain squad lifting the trophy again, just like at the awards ceremony on Sunday, but now in front of the local crowd.

Groups of fans had begun securing their spots near Cibeles late Monday morning ahead of the team’s arrival, bringing umbrellas to protect against the sun and temperatures of up to 35 Celsius (95 Fahrenheit).

The square is where previous Spain teams and their supporters have typically gathered to celebrate. It's also the traditional celebration spot for Real Madrid when it wins titles.

Officials estimated a total of 1.8 million people welcomed the team in Madrid.

Spain walked off with the trophy Sunday after Ferran Torres scored the winner in extra time to secure its second World Cup title — and first since 2010 in South Africa.

The team was congratulated by the leaders of the three countries that co-hosted the tournament — U.S. President Donald Trump, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

After the final whistle, Madrid erupted into celebrations, with thousands of supporters pouring into the streets from bars and restaurants, many draped in Spanish flags or wearing the team's colors.

Crowds packed the capital's Puerta de Sol and other major squares — singing, dancing and setting off flares while car horns blared.

Many celebrated Sunday’s victory long into the wee hours of Monday morning.

“I’m very happy. I’ve slept three or four hours, but for the team, I’ll do whatever it takes,” 19-year-old Victor Álvarez said.

The men's victory, combined with the Women’s World Cup won by Spain in 2023, makes the European nation the first to hold both titles simultaneously.

“Honestly, it was very exciting. We preferred not to go to any bar or anything, to experience it at home, focused and very happy, very joyful,” 59-year-old civil servant Gema Rodero said.

Celebrations were dampened, however, after local authorities reported that a 13-year-old in Salamanca, northwest of Madrid, had died after a fountain he had climbed onto with friends to mark the victory had collapsed.

For many young supporters, the triumph is their first time witnessing the men's team lift the trophy — and the national delirium that has followed.

Spain now is markedly different from 2010, when the Iberian nation was beset by a debt crisis, 20% unemployment and nationalist regions fighting to win more autonomy.

The economy is expanding, the unemployment rate has halved and the country is forecast to again be among the Eurozone’s fastest-growing major economies. Nationalist and separatist tensions have considerably cooled.

See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here

Fans wait for the arrival of players from Spain's national soccer team during celebrations in Madrid on Monday, July 20, 2026, after Spain defeated Argentina in the World Cup final in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

A fan holds up an image of Spain's head soccer coach Luis de la Fuente as a crowd awaits the arrival of players from Spain's national soccer team during celebrations in Madrid on Monday, July 20, 2026, after Spain defeated Argentina in the World Cup final in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Players from Spain's national soccer team celebrate at Cibeles Square in Madrid on Monday, July 20, 2026, after Spain defeated Argentina in the World Cup final in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Fans crowd together as they wait for the arrival of players from Spain's national soccer team during celebrations in Madrid on Monday, July 20, 2026, after Spain defeated Argentina in the World Cup final in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Spain's King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, accompanied by Princess Leonor, left, and Infanta Sofia, right, pose with players from Spain's national soccer team at Zarzuela Palace in Madrid on Monday, July 20, 2026, after the team was crowned World Cup champion. (Jose Oliva/Europa Press via AP)

Fans crowd together as they wait for the arrival of players from Spain's national soccer team in Madrid on Monday, July 20, 2026, after Spain defeated Argentina in the World Cup final in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Players from Spain's national soccer team celebrate atop a bus as it travels through crowded streets in Madrid, Monday, July 20, 2026, after Spain defeated Argentina in the World Cup final in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York. (César Vallejo/Europa Press via AP)

Spain's Rodri (16) is greeted by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and President Donald J. Trump during the presentation ceremony after the World Cup final soccer match between Spain and Argentina in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York, Sunday, July 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Players from Spain's national soccer team arrive at Madrid airport on Monday, July 20, 2026, after being crowned World Cup champions with a victory over Argentina in the final in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Spain's Marc Cucurella arrives with the rest of his team at Madrid airport on Monday, July 20, 2026, after being crowned World Cup champions with a victory over Argentina in the final in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Players from Spain's national soccer team pose with the World Cup trophy as they arrive at Madrid airport on Monday, July 20, 2026, after being crowned World Cup champions with a victory over Argentina in the final in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Argentina's Enzo Fernandez (24) fouls Spain's Pau Cubarsi (22), resulting in a red card, during the World Cup final soccer match between Spain and Argentina in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York, Sunday, July 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Spanish fans celebrate in central Madrid after Spain defeated Argentina in the World Cup final soccer match in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York, Sunday, July 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Spanish fans celebrate in central Madrid after Spain defeated Argentina in the World Cup final soccer match in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York, Sunday, July 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Spanish fans celebrate in central Madrid after Spain defeated Argentina in the World Cup final soccer match in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York, Sunday, July 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

BOSTON (AP) — Caleb Durbin hit a tiebreaking homer over the Green Monster with two outs in the eighth inning, and the Boston Red Sox extended the second-longest winning streak in club history to 14 games, beating Baltimore 6-5 on Monday night to snap the Orioles' season-best win streak at seven.

The Red Sox would match a club record with a win Tuesday night. Boston won 15 straight in 1946 on a team led by future Hall of Famer Ted Williams.

Christian Encarnacion-Strand, recalled from Triple-A four days ago, homered and hit a run-scoring single for the Orioles, who committed four errors and allowed two unearned runs.

Durbin connected on a one-strike cutter from Tyler Wells (2-2), setting off a celebration by teammates in front of Boston’s dugout.

Garrett Whitlock (5-1) worked a perfect eighth, and Aroldis Chapman picked up his 22nd save when Tyler O'Neill lined to short with runners on second and third to end it.

In a back-and-forth game, Baltimore took the lead for the third time in the seventh when O’Neill hit an RBI grounder that second baseman Anthony Seigler bobbled, ending a chance at an inning-ending double play.

Boston rallied in the bottom half, tying it at 5-all on Ceddanne Rafaela’s two-out RBI single.

Encarnacion-Strand homered over the Monster in the fifth, and Jeremiah Jackson and Encarnacion-Strand had RBI singles to make it 4-3 in the sixth.

Baltimore starter Shane Baz allowed four runs, two earned, with six strikeouts in six innings. Boston’s Payton Tolle gave up four runs and struck out nine in 5 2/3 innings.

RHP Kyle Bradish (6-8, 3.61 ERA) starts for the Orioles on Tuesday night, while the Red Sox will either bring LHP Ranger Suárez (4-3, 3.15) off the injured list or go with a bullpen game.

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Baltimore Orioles' Jeremiah Jackson watches his RBI single in the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Monday, July 20, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Baltimore Orioles' Christian Encarnacion-Strand connects for an RBI single in the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Monday, July 20, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Boston Red Sox's Aroldis Chapman delivers during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Monday, July 20, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Boston Red Sox fans cheer after an RBI double by Ceddanne Rafaela during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Monday, July 20, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Boston Red Sox's Caleb Durbin celebrates after his home run in the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Monday, July 20, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)