Spain midfielders Fabian Ruiz and Gavi received a hero’s welcome when they returned to their hometown of Los Palacios y Villafranca following Spain’s World Cup triumph in North America. The pair were greeted by local officials and a large crowd at an official reception at the town hall on Wednesday.
Los Palacios y Villafranca, a town to the south of Seville with a population of fewer than 40,000, honoured the two players in a tradition that local officials say “has become a hallmark of the municipality for honouring its great athletes.” PSG’s Ruiz, who started the final against Argentina, and Barcelona’s Gavi both wore their gold medals for the occasion.
The centrepiece of the ceremony saw both players step onto weighing scales to determine how many tomatoes they would each receive as a gift. Ruiz is set to be awarded 85kg, while Gavi will receive 68.5kg. The same honour was previously given to Ruiz after Spain won Euro 2024.
Former Spain winger Jesus Navas, who also attended the reception, was the first player from Los Palacios y Villafranca to win the World Cup when he did so in 2010. The town’s sports pavilion already bears the names of Navas and Ruiz, and football fields will now be renamed after Ruiz and Gavi as a further tribute.
The town council said it wants to “pay permanent tribute to three athletes who represent the pride of an entire town and who, with their sporting and human trajectory, have become role models for several generations of children and young people.”
Image credit: BBC Sport / BBC Sport
