Spain stars awarded tomatoes for World Cup win

Spain’s World Cup win for a second time sparked a hometown tomato celebration for Fabián Ruiz and Gavi, linking football glory to Andalusian agriculture. The two players returned to Los Palacios y Villafranca on Tuesday and were honored at the town hall following a tradition that started in 2010 with Jesús Navas. Ruiz, who plays for Paris Saint-Germain, weighed in at 84 kilograms (185 pounds), while Barcelona’s Gavi weighed 68 kilograms (150 pounds). They were presented with tomatoes equal to their body weight. The municipality is known for tomato production and has increasingly developed top-level footballers. Navas was also recognized after Spain’s earlier triumphs, including the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and European Championship titles in 2012 and 2024. This summer’s title came after a 1-0 final win over Argentina in North America on Sunday.