Madrid: Newly crowned FIFA World Cup champions Spain received a spectacular homecoming on Monday as an estimated two million fans lined the streets of Madrid to celebrate the team's historic triumph.The celebrations began with an open-top bus parade through the Spanish capital, where players proudly displayed the World Cup trophy while waving to thousands of supporters dressed in the country's iconic red and yellow colours. Despite the scorching summer heat, fans packed the city's main avenues, balconies, and bus stops to catch a glimpse of their heroes.The parade concluded at Madrid's iconic Cibeles Square, where players, coaching staff, and supporters celebrated late into the night. Each member of the squad, along with head coach Luis de la Fuente, was introduced individually on stage, accompanied by their chosen entrance music while wearing special "We Are Champions" shirts.In a recorded video message, global pop star Shakira praised Spain's achievement.> "Spain showed the world what it means to work together with one mind and one heart."Coach Luis de la Fuente echoed that message, describing his squad as "the best in the world" and reminding supporters that "together we are stronger."The team posed for a commemorative photograph before captain Rodri once again lifted the World Cup trophy, recreating the unforgettable moment from Sunday night's final in New Jersey, where Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 after extra time to secure their second FIFA World Cup title.Royal Reception and Government HonourUpon returning from the United States, the Spanish squad was welcomed by King Felipe VI and members of the royal family before meeting Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. Following the official receptions, the players began their victory parade through Madrid.Their bus, bearing the slogan "Kings of the World," made its way through the city as fans chanted "Champions" and celebrated Spain's latest football triumph.Rodri: The Greatest Moment of My CareerManchester City midfielder Rodri described winning the World Cup as the greatest achievement of his career.> "Winning with your country is the most beautiful thing in football, especially a World Cup. We grew up watching Iker Casillas and Andrés Iniesta lift this trophy, and now we've experienced that moment ourselves."Spain Win Their Second World CupSpain secured their second FIFA World Cup title thanks to Ferran Torres' extra-time winner against Argentina, adding another star to the nation's football history after their maiden triumph in 2010.Fourteen-year-old supporter Héctor Mollar said witnessing the celebrations in person was unforgettable.> "I'm incredibly happy about Spain's second star. Experiencing this yourself is completely different from simply hearing stories about it."Match-winner Ferran Torres joked that he was "literally flying" after returning home from the United States with the World Cup trophy.Eyes on 2030Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez praised the team's achievement, noting Spain's perfect record in World Cup finals and expressing optimism about defending the title in 2030.Spain will co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup alongside Portugal and Morocco, raising hopes of another memorable tournament on home soil.The country's women's national team also won the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2023, making Spain the first nation to simultaneously hold both the men's and women's World Cup titles.Messi Left HeartbrokenDespite arriving at the final with Lionel Messi in outstanding form, Argentina struggled to create clear scoring opportunities against a disciplined Spanish side.An emotional Messi was seen in tears after the final whistle before later posting a heartfelt message on Instagram.> "The pain is immense, and this wound will take time to heal."He also congratulated Spain on their historic achievement.While tears flowed in Madrid on Monday night, they were tears of joy as Spain celebrated another unforgettable chapter in its football history.

The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-2 today ordered the authorities to produce Major (retd) Mozaffar Hossain, an accused in the assassination case of Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman, before the tribunal on July 23.The ICT-2, headed by Justice Nozrul Islam Chowdhury, passed the order, allowing a plea filed by the Chief Prosecutor Md Aminul Islam."The arrested Lt Gen (retd) Masud Uddin Chowdhury, an accused in a crimes against humanity case linked to the July Mass Uprising (miscellaneous case), has involvement in various crimes against humanity dating back to the 'One-Eleven' period. Major (retd) Mozaffar also had conversations and other links with Masud Uddin Chowdhury. These connections should be probed. Therefore, we sought a production warrant to interrogate him, and the tribunal granted our prayer," the chief prosecutor said.The Detective Branch (DB) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) arrested Major (Retd) Md Mozaffar Hossain from the capital's DOHS area on July 15.He was later handed over to Military Police at Dhaka Cantonment./bss

Argentina are just one match away from another FIFA World Cup title, but history suggests July has not been a fortunate month for the South American giants.The reigning world champions will face Spain in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final on July 20. While Lionel Messi’s side are aiming to defend their crown, they also have an opportunity to break a long-standing trend: Argentina have never won a World Cup final played in July.La Albiceleste have lifted football’s biggest trophy three times in 1978, 1986 and 2022. Interestingly, none of those triumphs came in July.Their first World Cup title was secured on June 25, 1978, when they defeated the Netherlands 3-1 after extra time in Buenos Aires. Eight years later, Diego Maradona inspired Argentina to a memorable 3-2 victory over West Germany in the final on June 29, 1986.Argentina’s most recent success came in Qatar in 2022, where Lionel Messi captained the team to victory over France in one of the greatest World Cup finals in history. That match was played on December 18 because the tournament was moved to the winter due to Qatar’s climate.Although Argentina have won three World Cups, they have reached the final on six previous occasions before 2026. Their three defeats all came in finals held during July.The first was in the inaugural FIFA World Cup in 1930, when Argentina lost 4-2 to Uruguay on July 30 in Montevideo.The second came on July 8, 1990, as West Germany edged Diego Maradona’s Argentina 1-0 in Rome to claim the title.The most recent July disappointment arrived in Brazil in 2014. On July 13, Mario Götze’s extra-time goal gave Germany a 1-0 victory over Argentina, denying Lionel Messi his first World Cup trophy.Now, another July final awaits.With the 2026 FIFA World Cup hosted jointly by the United States, Canada and Mexico, Argentina will once again play for the title this time against Spain.Victory would not only allow Argentina to retain the World Cup but also earn the nation’s first-ever World Cup triumph in a final played during July.For Lionel Messi, who is widely expected to be playing in his final World Cup, the match carries even greater significance. It presents an opportunity to add another historic achievement to an already legendary career while helping Argentina rewrite a chapter of World Cup history that has remained unchanged for nearly a century.