MATARO/MADRID, July 19 (Reuters) – Spain fans waved flags and cheered in the streets of the neighbourhood where Spain’s teenage forward Lamine Yamal grew up after their team beat Argentina 1-0 in the World Cup final on Sunday.
The 19-year-old Lamine learned to play football on the streets of Rocafonda, a working-class, multi-ethnic area of Mataro, a coastal city about 30 km (19 miles) north of Barcelona.
The residents of Rocafonda, who include his grandmother and a cousin, still regard Lamine, who plays for Spain and Barcelona, as one of their own.
On the community pitch, where Lamine honed his skills as a boy, there is a mural featuring the player who is a symbol of the possible.
Lamine, who was born in Spain to a Moroccan father and mother from Equatorial Guinea, has never forgotten his roots.
Throughout his career, he has honoured Rocafonda with his trademark “304” hand gesture after scoring goals – a reference to the neighbourhood’s postal code.
During the World Cup, he has sported a headband with “Rocafonda” on it, worn the flags of his parents’ countries of origin on his boots, and said football was an example of racial and social integration.
Meanwhile, in the heart of Madrid, thousands were partying in the streets after La Roja realised the dream of clinching the trophy following an extra-time goal by Ferran Torres.
Draped in the red and gold of the Spanish flags, fans sang and danced in the streets of the Spanish capital, chanting “Champions, champions.”
After a tense match that went to extra time, fans exploded in joy in cities and towns across Spain as the final whistle blew in New York.
Pedro Sanchez, the Spanish prime minister, posted on social media X: “We are World Champions!! Our national team was great! Thanks team!”
In Barcelona, where many of the Spain team play for the La Liga champions, revellers set fireworks off and partied on the beaches at the start of what promised to be a long night of celebrations.
Police in Bilbao identified five individuals who tried to disrupt the transmission of the match on a big screen.
(Reporting by Graham Keeley, editing by Ed Osmond)
Copyright 2026 Thomson Reuters.
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