Lamine Yamal returns to Cibeles before Mbappé makes his debut there

MadridA bird flying over Madrid's Cibeles square at four in the afternoon would have seen a multitude of open umbrellas. They were not to protect themselves from a null threat of rain, but rather they were essential allies for the brave who were preparing to resist for more than six hours to celebrate the Spanish national team's second World Cup from the front row. Throughout the afternoon, even Samur volunteers refreshed them with atomized water dispensers to withstand the suffocating heat. It is a select group of people who were convinced that the occasion was worth it. Just like the almost two million fans who have flooded the streets of Madrid to follow the parade. The players began their parade from the Arc de Triunfo after passing through the Zarzuela to be received by the royal family and through Moncloa to greet Pedro Sánchez. From there, they traveled four kilometers to reach Cibeles.

The party, which began shortly after ten at night, took place on a stage in front of Madrid City Hall, right in front of the fountain that hosts Real Madrid's celebrations. A fountain that has been alone since 2024 and has not yet received a visit from Kylian Mbappé. Since that last party, Lamine Yamal has ridden four times in a convertible bus: twice with Barça and twice with Spain. First with the Eurocup and now with the World Cup. On every corner, the scene repeated itself: the bus drove past and the fans started running through the parallel streets to catch up with it at another point. Like a traveling shot. The luckiest –or the boldest– made their way alongside the buildings –trying to find space like a forward looking for a gap in the defense– so as not to lose sight of the players.

No one wants to miss it. To the rhythm of Shakira, a Spanish police officer from the National High Court – where the usual security cordon had vanished – immortalizes the moment with his mobile phone. A fan watches from a balcony and, as a reward for her stoic wait, receives a direct and personalized gesture of complicity from Pedri. Later, one boy tells a friend on the phone that he threw a t-shirt to Lamine Yamal, or another boy makes a video call to share the experience remotely.

The Spanish police escort the two buses and, behind them, hundreds of followers follow them as if it were a procession. Like another float in the parade. Like an appendix. As they advance, a boy fills his glass with rum and a girl takes a sip from the sangria bottle. One of the protagonists, of course, was Ferran Torres, the scorer of the goal. At different points along the route, you can hear people shouting the viral phrase that has made its fortune: “Oh, Ferran! Oh, Ferran!”. And it even plays through the bus's loudspeakers. He begins the parade shirtless, savoring a glass of cava. By the way, at Alonso Martínez avenue, a boy waves a Palestinian flag.

The Blaugrana family exported to the national team

Before the bus starts parading, ARA speaks with fans who are impatiently awaiting the players' arrival. And they all agree on the crucial role of Barça's players. “It’s the team that invests most in its youth academy. When good players arrive and get opportunities, it also bears fruit for the national team,” summarizes Carlos. Iván and Dani are from Valladolid and agree on this diagnosis. “It has helped them a lot, especially, that there was the connection, because they come from playing together and have bonded with the national team,” says the first. “At Barça they are a family and have helped to put them in the national team, the complicity they have is non-negotiable,” adds the second.

Araceli, who is from Real Madrid, confesses that she has a “thorn in her side” due to the scarce presence of Real Madrid players with Spain, but she tries to downplay it by saying they are a “global club” with representatives in many other national teams. She believes the key to success has been “playing as a team” and also acknowledges that the wide presence of blaugrana players has helped: “They are used to playing with each other and have drunk from the same style,” she emphasizes.