Spain World Cup Winners Fabian Ruiz and Gavi Honoured with Body Weight in Tomatoes
Spain’s World Cup‑winning midfielders Fabian Ruiz and Gavi were welcomed home to Los Palacios y Villafranca, where they received an unusual tribute: tomatoes equal to their body weight.
The duo returned to the town south of Seville after Spain’s victory in North America. Ruiz, who started the final against Argentina, and Barcelona’s Gavi wore their winners’ medals during a civic reception at the town hall, greeted by local officials and hundreds of supporters.
Following a long‑standing local tradition, both players stepped onto scales to determine the tomato amount. Ruiz will receive 85 kg, while Gavi is set to collect 68.5 kg.
Local officials said the tomato presentation “has become a hallmark of the municipality for honouring its great athletes.”
Former Spain winger Jesús Navas, also from Los Palacios y Villafranca, attended the ceremony. Navas, the first player from the town to win a World Cup in 2010, was similarly honoured with tomatoes after Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph alongside Ruiz.
The celebrations included further recognition: the town’s sports pavilion already bears the names of Navas and Ruiz, and football pitches will be renamed in honour of Ruiz and Gavi. Additionally, the town hall announced plans to build a monument dedicated to the three champions.
A council statement emphasized that the initiative aims to pay permanent tribute to three athletes who embody the town’s pride and serve as role models for generations of children and young people.
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