In front of the 500,000 Spaniards gathered on the streets of Madrid, Luis de la Fuente took the microphone and emulated Julio Iglesias by singing Quijote, one of his most famous songs: “I am of those who dream of freedom, captain of a sailboat that has no sea, I am of those who live looking for a place, I am Quijote of a time that has no age.”
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Many of those present, most of them children, barely knew the lyrics given the song is from 1982. But that did not really matter. Spain head coach De la Fuente’s performance served as the end of his team’s European Championship title celebrations as coach, players and fans entered the early hours of Tuesday.
The Spanish national team had become the first to win the men’s Euros four times. The party afterwards went on for more than 24 hours.
Soon after beating England 2-1 and lifting the trophy on the pitch at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium on Sunday night, most of the national team players began the celebrations by jumping into the stands and hugging their families.
Striker Alvaro Morata, the captain, acted as master of ceremonies and led the after-party. In the dressing room and in the corridors of the stadium, he buzzed around on a gigantic wheeled loudspeaker that blared out hits.
De la Fuente celebrating with the crowd in Madrid (Cesar Manso/AFP via Getty Images)
The whole team was in a hurry to get away to the German city’s Grand Hyatt hotel, where their families and close friends had returned after the final. They were waiting for the squad. Once there, they all celebrated late into the night.
Few managed to sleep.
In one of the hotel’s lounges, Morata began to rehearse the show he would give hours later in the Plaza de Cibeles in Madrid.
The next day, the return flight — scheduled to depart at 11am — was delayed by more than an hour. Despite this, the crew welcomed the players on the plane with a chocolate and raspberry cake weighing more than 6kg (13lb), to help recharge their batteries before the party started again in Madrid.
After a meal and a short ‘siesta’, the first stop in the Spanish capital was La Zarzuela, the official residence of King Felipe VI, who received the new European champions, accompanied by Queen Leticia and Princesses Leonor and Sofia. It was a solemn meeting, with the most endearing visual being Lamine Yamal’s greeting to Princess Sofia. The two are the same age — 17 — and Yamal introduced himself with great formality, clearly a little bit nervous.
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All the players wore white T-shirts with the motto ‘Reyes de Europa’ (Kings of Europe) and the number four (for the Euros titles won in 1964, 2008, 2012 and now in 2024). A red playing shirt with the same printing was presented to the king, who was very happy.
By then — around 7.30pm local time — thousands of people were already crowding around a stage outside Madrid’s City Hall and at the nearby Cibeles fountain, which has become synonymous with Real Madrid trophy celebrations.
A session by DJ Wally Lopez amped up the atmosphere. But high temperatures — over 30C (86F) — meant dozens of children in the crowd had to be transferred by wheelchair to emergency stations to be treated for heat stroke or after fainting. Even in such unpleasant conditions, nobody wanted to miss seeing the champions.
But before the party could truly begin, there was a second formal stop at the Moncloa, the residence of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. He predictablypraised the team’s play (“We have a national team that has played brilliantly”) and the record number of European Championships and matches won (“I think it’s the first time in history a winner has won seven out of seven games, and also against football powers such as Italy, Germany, France and England”).
Morata and the Spain players meeting the king of Spain (Borja B. Hojas/Getty Images)
The most commented-on image was that of Dani Carvajal. The Real Madrid defender did not look Sanchez in the face. Many on social media suggested it was due to political differences.
Later, during the celebrations, Morata and Manchester City midfielder Rodri were heard shouting the chant, “Gibraltar es Español! (Gibraltar is Spain).” But political issues were ultimately no more than an anecdote on a joyous occasion.
With the formalities done, the team set off for the city centre.
Flocks of people chased their open-top bus, chanting through the streets of Genova, Paseo del Prado and Serrano. Meanwhile, the Plaza de Cibeles continued to fill up.
The footballers’ relatives and staff from the Spanish FA (RFEF) were located just in front of the stage. They had more freedom to move around than the public and used it to bring bottles of water to fans who were still stuck behind fencing and the crowd in the square.
One of these family members was Miquel, the father of Euro 2024 Golden Boot co-winner Dani Olmo, who also spoke to The Athletic: “There’s a photo of my two sons (Miquel and Dani) when they were about four and two years old wearing the Spanish national-team kit. Now I have seen them in a totally different scenario, in the Berlin Olympic Stadium, with the European cup, but dressed the same. At that moment, the only thing I thought was that they are children’s dreams, they are football dreams that come true.
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“I don’t think any parent believes their child is going to reach (such) a level. You have to have fun and compete and from that point on, the circ*mstances have made us all very happy.”
A few metres away were some of Yamal’s friends and family, including Mohamed, his cousin, who took photos with people and gave an interview to the Spanish channel TVE.
In an informal conversation with The Athletic, one member of the Barcelona winger’s camp, who prefers not to be named to protect relationships, insisted that despite his age and what might appear on the outside, Yamal was the player who had taken the team’s triumph most calmly: “Lamine has won the European Championship and acts like it’s nothing.”
A few steps further on was Chelsea full-back Marc Cucurella’s agent, Alex Dominguez, who was happy about the great tournament his client played after a sometimes difficult club season, and explained to The Athletic: “This is football. We know that from one day to the next, football can change, for better or for worse, and you have to stay consistent and not stop working. Marc has been like that for the last two years.
“He has been in a team (Chelsea) with some instability but the work done always pays off. Marc signed a six-year contract, he is at ease and comfortable there, the family, too. Marc signed for one of the best teams in Europe and so we are calm in that sense.”
By 10pm, the sun had gone down and it was time to welcome the players on stage.
Cucurella enjoying the party after Spain’s fourth Euros title (Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images)
From the moment Morata took the floor, he won over the fans with his spontaneity — reminiscent of the show put on more than a decade ago by then Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina following the national team’s previous Euros triumph.
Each player was welcomed with a song. Morata dedicated a few words to each of them.
On Carvajal, he said: “With the number two, the boar of Spain! The pitbull! Where is (Germany forward, and the full-back’s direct opponent in the quarter-final won 2-1 by Spain, Jamal) Musiala? The best right-back in the world? Danieeeeel Carvajal.
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On Fabian Ruiz, he said: “With number eight, he’s longer than a day without bread, but what quality the boy has! Have you seen the video of how he sent the Germans for cigarettes? In training, he’s a lamp post, he doesn’t move. Then he flies in the games and has been fundamental… he’s Fabiaaan Ruiz!”
On Olmo, Morata said: “Before the Euros, I said he was a crack (really good player), didn’t I? Well, this guy has not only been the top scorer but he has saved a f****** goal (clearing a sure England equaliser off the line late in the final), which he had never done before. But beware, if he was worth €100million before, now he’s worth €130m. With the number 11, he is Dani Olmo!”
The players throwing De la Fuente in the air (Oscar Del Pozo/AFP via Getty Images)
On Rodri, he said: “Rodri is on fire, your defence is terrified! How’s your hamstring, bro? You are the MVP! Rodri! Ballon d’Or! Rodri! Ballon d’Or! We have to open an Instagram account for him to see if he wins an individual title because he deserves it. With the number 16, he is Rodri!”
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Then Cucurella showed off his trademark bushy hair, now dyed Spain red, and sang the Chelsea fans’ song that has become popular in Spain too: “Cucurella, he eats paella/Cucurella, he drinks Estrella (a Spanish beer)/Cucurella, may (Manchester City striker Erling) Haaland tremble…”
Throughout the show, Maria, a 10-year-old fan who suffers from Ewing sarcoma (a type of bone cancer), was with the players on stage.
❤️ "You show us everyday what it really means to fight"#C4MPEONES | #VamosEspaña pic.twitter.com/mScFd4WrTT
— Spanish Football (@SpainIsFootball) July 15, 2024
Maria also got to lift the trophy.She was the most special guest at an event that also featured Spanish artists Aitana, Almacor and Isabel Aaiun and influencer Ibai Llanos.They put the finishing touch to a party that will be remembered for a long time in Spain.
Everyone was once again united for the national team.
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Guillermo began his career covering Real Madrid and the sports industry for Diario AS. He later moved to London and became AS and Cadena Ser correspondent. He has since returned to Madrid and joins us at The Athletic where he will deliver Real Madrid news, interviews, stories, and more.
