Jubilation in Spain as La Roja beat Argentina to win second World Cup title
Castelldefels, Spain – Fans waving the red and gold Spanish flag have filled the streets, shot fireworks into the night sky and hugged each other into the early hours of Monday after Spain beat Argentina 1-0 in the World Cup final.
The jubilation on the streets was echoed in towns and cities across Spain as La Roja won the title on Sunday for the second time with a goal by Ferran Torres in extra time.
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Fans who had been watching the match on giant screens chanted, “Campeones! Campeones! [Champions! Champions!]”
However, in Castelldefels, a tourist town south of Barcelona, fans from both nationalities enjoyed the match thanks to the presence of a sizeable Argentinian emigre community.
Chief among them is – in spirit at least – one rather special former resident: Lionel Messi.
Messi spent his greatest years playing at Barcelona, and his presence still looms large over the town. Many Argentina or neutral fans walked around during the match on Sunday sporting his famous #10 shirt.
And this being Catalonia, where support for independence from Spain may have faded in recent years but remains a potent force, many support other sides in the World Cup. Many support Argentina, precisely because of the influence of Messi.
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The Argentina captain still owns a luxury complex in Castelldefels, replete with its own football pitch, which is reported to be worth $8m.
It is in Bellamar, a neighbourhood nestled in the hills above this seaside town of 70,000 inhabitants, where he made his home with his family in his glory days at Barca
