Football: Spain welcomes Euro 2012 heroes

MADRID:

Spain’s Euro 2012 heroes parted a red-and-yellow sea of cheering fans, winding through Madrid’s baking streets on a victory parade that briefly eclipsed an economic crisis.

Captain Iker Casillas and teammates passed around a silver trophy captured in their 4-0 thrashing of Italy, unleashing explosions of joy as they toured the capital in an open-top double-decker bus. Hundreds of thousands of people lined the route, solidly packing streets from the pavement to the edge of the bus, chased by running fans, and escorted by mounted police. All the squad wore red tee-shirts emblazed with the words ‘Champions of Europe’.”It was difficult and we did it,” said Casillas. “We’re satisfied and happy because our people enjoyed it.”

Published in The Express Tribune, July 4^th, 2012.