Spain Celebrates Victory Together

Americans have experienced some epic sporting victories over the years, from the “Miracle on Ice” hockey victory over Russia in 1980 to the Dream Team basketball victory in 1992 and the historic Women’s World Cup victory in 1999. And American fans celebrated with parades and parties. But those celebrations pale in comparison to the gatherings in Spain after the 2026 world soccer victory!

In Madrid alone, over 2 million ecstatic fans filled the streets, giving a hero’s welcome to the returning champions. We were astonished to see videos of a vast sea of fans at La Plaza de Cibeles, singing together in one voice, faces glowing with the joy of victory. In a country that often experiences regional tensions, it was incredible to see the entire population coming together with national pride.

Fútbol (soccer) is bordering on a national religion in Spain, with teams participating in intense rivalries between clubs. Some matches are so legendary they even have names, like El Clásico or El Derby. But when the national team played in the big tournament, these rivalries disappeared. On the national team, members of the legendary clubs of La Liga, like FC Barcelona and Atlético Madrid, played side by side.

We talked with a friend in Valencia who told us the streets were empty during the matches, as families and friends gathered in bars and homes to cheer on La Roja. The crowds shouted in unified passion, bonding with strangers as they celebrated goals or commiserated about bad calls.

We were able to experience some of Spain’s communal joy with a watch party that we organized at the Virginia Beer Company in our hometown of Williamsburg, VA. We shared a free spread of simple tapas with the crowd, from Marcona almonds and picos breadsticks to anchovy stuffed olives and quicos crunchy corn. We even hand-sliced a Jamón Ibérico, with hungry fans devouring the ham faster than we could slice.

The crowd grew to over a hundred people, and we were excited to see a group of a dozen Spanish fans leading the cheers. They were young adults working at Busch Gardens for the summer, and their enthusiasm was infectious. They even inspired the Williamsburg locals to sing “¡OLÉ, OLÉ  OLÉ OLÉ!” at full volume. The excellent glasses of beer did not hurt the enthusiasm!

As the final whistle blew in overtime, the entire crowd exploded, led by the Spanish fans. They waved huge red and yellow flags, sang victory songs and literally jumped for joy as a group! One guy ran over and grabbed what was left of the jamón, holding it high in the air like it was a religious icon, then kissed it to celebrate the victory. Another fan grabbed a porrón pitcher that we’d brought and poured a long stream of beer in his mouth. For a moment, it felt like we were at a bar in Madrid or Sevilla, sharing the thrill of victory with the people of Spain.

In life, stereotypes are sometimes positive and real. Spaniards do love jamón with an intensity bordering on obsession. They do come together and connect, creating community wherever they are. It was thrilling to share their passion and excitement; it was an event that we’ll always remember.

¡Hola! I'm Jonathan Harris, one of the owners of La Tienda. I love sharing insights about Spain's amazing food culture. 

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