Hero's welcome for Spain

Hundreds of thousands of people packed central Madrid tonight to give a hero’s welcome to “La Roja” – the national soccer team that erased the country’s gloomy mood by winning the Euro 2012 Championship.

With the celebrated team back home on native soil, it was time to party for a second straight night.

King Juan Carlos and members of the royal family congratulated players at the Zarzuela Palace outside Madrid within hours of their returning from Kiev, where they crushed Italy 4-0 to defend their title last night. The Iberia plane that brought them to the Spanish capital bore the logo “proud of our national team”.

Team captain and goalkeeper Iker Casillas proudly held the tournament cup as he emerged from the plane in Madrid with coach Vicente del Bosque.

In the palace gardens, the king, Prince Felipe, his wife, Princess Letizia, and one of the king’s two daughters, Princess Elena, chatted and laughed with the players while two of the monarch’s grandchildren gazed at and touched the cup.

“Congratulations on behalf of the family and the whole of Spain,” the king said. “You have made the entire country happy.”

In town, a multitude jammed the paths and roads along a near three mile route chanting “Champions, champions Ole, Ole, Ole!”

Blowing horns, they put up with a baking evening sun to catch a glimpse of their heroes as they paraded by on an open air bus ride for a victory rally in the central Cibeles plaza. The players were escorted by police on horseback and motorbikes. Thousands more fans cheered on from apartment balconies.

The players danced and sang, raised the trophy and sprayed sparkling wine on the screaming, flag-waving crowds below as the bus crawled along at a snail’s pace.

In Cibeles plaza, organisers sprayed the crowds with water hoses to help them keep cool as they awaited the team’s arrival.