MADRID, July 21 (Xinhua) -- Spain's national football team was welcomed by nearly 2 million fans Monday as it celebrated winning a second World Cup with an open-top bus parade through central Madrid before a jubilant gathering at the city's landmark Plaza de Cibeles.
Spain beat Argentina 1-0 after extra time in Sunday's World Cup final in New Jersey, with Ferran Torres scoring the winner to cap a dominant performance.
The team arrived back in Madrid at around 1 p.m. local time and began the celebrations with official receptions hosted by King Felipe VI and Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, both of whom had attended the final at New York New Jersey Stadium. The king praised the unity of the team.
The players then boarded an open-top bus at the Moncloa Palace, the prime minister's official residence, and traveled through the heart of Madrid, where an estimated 1.8 million fans lined the streets.
The bus reached Plaza de Cibeles at 10 p.m., where another 120,000 supporters had been waiting for hours after being entertained by performances from several Spanish pop stars.
The players took turns lifting the World Cup trophy and joined supporters in chants and songs despite temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius. The celebration lasted until nearly midnight and notably featured defender Marc Cucurella playing the drums.
The celebrations were overshadowed by tragedy Sunday night. A 13-year-old fan died in the town of Ciudad Rodrigo after being struck by part of a fountain where people were celebrating. Police also arrested three people, while about 30 others required medical treatment after festivities in Barcelona turned violent. ■
