Winners Spain celebrate in Madrid
Euro 2008 champions Spain have arrived home from Austria and paraded the Henri Delaunay trophy through Madrid in front of their euphoric fans.
They touched down at Madrid Barajas airport around 1840 BST in a plane with “Campeones” (champions) written on it.
They then took an open-top bus to meet joyous fans in a packed Colon Square.
Sunday’s 1-0 win over Germany, courtesy of a goal from Liverpool striker Fernando Torres, gave Spain their first major tournament victory in 44 years.
Captain Iker Casillas lavished praise on coach Luis Aragones.
“Aragones has done a great job,” he said. “He made us believe that it could be done from day one.
“We have done a great job together as a team. I think we needed to prove a point in Europe. We have done our nation proud.
“I don’t think what we have achieved will sink in for another few days.”
The victory was their first in a major international tournament since they claimed the 1964 European Championship by defeating the Soviet Union.
Manager Aragones has always said he would step down after the tournament and the 69-year-old’s comments after the final suggest he has no intentions on going back on his word.
“The only thing I have to say to the manager who comes after me is to please treat them (the players) well and let them do their job,” he said.
Despite seeing their side slip to defeat, German fans turned out in huge numbers to welcome the players home when they arrived back in Berlin on Monday.
An estimated 300,000 people were in front of the Brandenburg Gates, after 600,000 fans had cheered their country on the night before.
“I don’t think we’d have gone so far without these great fans,” said captain Michael Ballack.
“We all saw the TV pictures of what was going on back here and it felt like we had an extra man on the pitch all the time.”
Source: BBC Sport
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