Henri Delaunay, the name given to the European Championship trophy in honour of UEFA’s first general secretary, left for Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin at 1.22am hidden in a metal box on wheels pulled by the head of equipment for the Spanish national team. The trophy rolled down the ramp of the mixed zone packed with journalists and disappeared inside the Spanish bus, where someone had already added the “Champions” sign to the windscreen. Behind was another replica of the trophy that had been used for the champions’ photographs.
Three minutes later, in the distance, the chant “Long live Spain…” could be heard approaching the parking area. The music was being played by the captain, Álvaro Morata, on a huge loudspeaker with a flag. “That Spain is the best.” And now, when he had left the press behind and was approaching the bus: “With my throat full of sand / And with hatred, pride and sorrow / I can’t feel free like a falcon like this.” Once again, also in victory, Wild fillyfrom Isabel Aaiún. Upon arrival, he opened the chest and took out the Henri Delaunay trophy, which looks Spanish, even though it is hidden in a trunk. Since it was redesigned by a London workshop for the 2008 tournament, five editions of the Euro have been played and three have been won by La Roja (2008, 2012 and 2024).
By then, it had been almost an hour since a UEFA employee had come to announce: “The England team has left.” The departure had been painful. The first to leave was Harry Kane. If he had turned his neck to the right before heading up the last short slope towards his bus, at the end, through an entrance, he would have been able to see the Spanish footballers still celebrating on the pitch with their families. The captain, who has not been able to lift a trophy in his entire career, and who has just lost his second consecutive Euro final, still had to wait 40 minutes until Gareth Southgate brought the painful procession to a close and everyone disappeared from the Olympic stadium.
Another half hour passed before the Spaniards began to appear. They were leaving behind a blue changing room where, at the end of the final, someone had found time to hang the “European Champions” posters on the upper part of the walls, between the Euro logo and the Spanish flag. On the central table there were remnants from the beginning of the celebration: bottles of the national team’s official beer and large bottles of the tournament brand, the size of champagne bottles, as well as several giant half-empty glasses. There were also apples, bananas and grapes from the baskets prescribed by the nutritionist, Toscana Viar. And there were remnants of bread and bags of ice, bottles of water, cans of Coca-Cola, blue towels, a white sock and a few labels from the celebratory shirts with the legend “Kings of Europe” and the number 4, the number of Euro Cups Spain has won, more than anyone else, after beating Germany’s three against England.
David Raya headed for the bus remembering a promise from a teammate: “Hair, hair!” he shouted behind Fabián Ruiz and Ferran Torres, who were taking home a ball as a souvenir. Fermín came out with an Andalusian flag on his shoulders and Cucurella, the guy with whom the Germans paid for their frustration with two nights of whistles until he gave the assist that won the title, said goodbye, shaking hands with the volunteers as he passed.
At ten to two, when the bus had arrived with Dani Carvajal, who had to undergo the anti-doping control, Álvaro Morata declared himself tired of waiting. They had already put on the music. They had already sounded the horn. The captain went down the steps, stood in the car park below the stadium, spread his arms and complained: “Where is the manager?” The manager appeared a few seconds later talking on the phone, accompanied by Juanjo González, the assistant coach, with whom the boarding for the trip to the Grand Hyatt hotel was completed.
There their relatives were waiting for them. “How long will it take them to shower?” Cucurella’s mother asked. Less impatient, but just as tired, were the parents of Dani Olmo, the tournament’s top scorer. “We’re waiting for Dani to give him a hug and then we’re off to our hotel. We’re not staying at the party,” they said, while still in the Olympic Stadium, a couple of workers were still removing traces of the champion from a changing room where there were still half-litre bottles of German beer in the fridge. The stadium was spending the night in a carefree bustle of removing cables and other installations, while many employees and journalists were photographed on the grass strewn with gold and silver confetti.
The party, in a private room at the Grand Hyatt hotel, just three minutes from the checkpoint Charlie, the place where the famous sign warning before crossing to the other side of the Wall — “You are leaving the American sector” — can still be seen, was waiting for the European champions. The first to appear at the hotel reception at 2:13 was Luis de la Fuente. Then, the house music had stopped playing over the hotel speakers to make way for the It could be your big night Raphael. After the coach appeared Ferran Torres, with the Euro ball in his hand. He was followed by Rodri, half-limping, with the MVP, while Lamine and Nico danced and jumped. Unai Simón seemed serious until he saw his family. And Le Normand stopped with all the hotel guests who asked him for a photo. The last to appear was Morata, who was carrying the cup in his hand.
Afterwards, Henri Delaunay returned to the metal box. Madrid is waiting for her, she has a date in Madrid for the celebration with the fans.
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