Spain World Cup team receives hero's welcome

Описание: http://www.timesofearth.com/Sport/?NT... - Spain's World Cup heroes were formally received Monday by King Juan Carlos and Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, ahead of a triumphant bus parade through Madrid's euphoric streets.

Madrid, Spain (TOE) - Spain's football team has arrived in Madrid with the World Cup trophy after flying overnight from Johannesburg following their victory over Holland in Sunday's final.

Hundreds of thousands of people lined the streets of the capital as the team embarked on a 5km open-air bus ride towards the Puente del Rey, where the main celebrations, including a concert, will take place.

Keeper Iker Casillas and coach Vicente del Bosque were the first to emerge from the Iberia flight shortly after it landed at Madrid's Barajas airport. The crowd that had gathered at the airport cheered when Casillas raised the golden trophy in the air.

The players then went on to meet Spain's royal family and Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.

Juan Carlos, the king, a keen sports fan, was unable to attend the final because he is recovering from a lung operation.

Prime Minister Zapatero has praised the country's football team after they made it to their first ever World Cup final and said Spanish people should be very proud. "That was an incredibly nice day for Spain. I was very please to see the team play like that on the field. The game was intelligent, elegant," Zapatero said.

Monday's highlight is a 5km bus ride through Madrid and crowds wearing the Spanish flag's bright red and yellow colors.

Thousands of Spanish fans celebrated into the early hours of the morning, following Spain's dramatic extra time victory over Holland. One group of fans chanted "Iniesta Presidente! Iniesta Presidente!" as they marched along the centre of the Gran Via.

Officials said about 75,000 fans celebrated in Barcelona on Sunday night, where more than 1.1 million people had protested a day earlier against a Spanish court ruling that the Catalan region was incompatible with a united Spain.


The Barcelona celebration turned ugly after midnight when fans threw bottles at riot police, prompting officers to disperse them with volleys of rubber bullets. No serious injuries were reported.

Spain won the World Cup for the first time, beating Netherlands 1-0 after extra time in South Africa Sunday.

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