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Tens of thousands of ecstatic Spaniards lined the streets of Madrid on Tuesday to cheer home their soccer heroes, after Spain's Euro 2008 final victory in Vienna on Monday.
Traffic on motorways was stopped as an open-top bus carrying the team crawled past crowds lining the road for most of the 15- km route from Barajas airport to Colon Square in central Madrid in the hot summer evening.
Fans draped in red and yellow Spanish flags thronged the streets and chanted "Viva Espana" as the bus swept past flanked by police and trailed by a phalanx of horn-beeping motorbikes.
Spain's 1-0 victory over Germany was the first time the country has won a major soccer tournament in 44 years.
"This is beyond description, this has never happened to us," said Francisco Ramirez, from Toledo, his voice hoarse after cheering as the bus passed by.
"We said to each other: 'Lets go because we're not going to live through this again until God knows when'," said the 28-year-old economics student.
At the front, scorer Fernando Torres swung precariously over the side with the 6 kg-trophy in his hand, while other cheering players danced around.
Earlier, all Spain's major television channels showed live footage as the team's plane, painted with the word "Champions" and draped in a Spanish flag, taxied to a halt at Madrid's Barajas airport.
"This is for all of you," goalkeeper-captain Iker Casillas said to Spanish television as he stepped onto the tarmac, with the trophy under his arm.
The normally reserved and dour coach Luis Aragones, who has said he is stepping down from the role, allowed a smile to creep across his face as he spoke to reporters at the airport.
"I'm a man who is not given to great emotions, but I am so overwhelmed now that I am a little emotional," he said.
