Spain celebrates its triumph at the World Cup with institutional matches. The Red Furies are received by King Felipe and stop at Moncloa, the seat of government. The protagonist becomes Alex Baena, Atletico Madrid midfielder, who doesn’t even glance at Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. The player parades with his eyes turned to the ground and shakes hands with detachment with the prime minister. The images bounce around social media and Baena becomes a topic at the center of an avalanche of posts: there are those who appreciate it and those who criticize, recalling the behavior of Dani Carvajal in the past. In 2024, after the victory of the European Championships, it was the Real Madrid player who blatantly ignored the prime minister.
According to the newspaper La Razon, Baena’s ‘performance’ also included a phrase addressed to captain Rodri, responsible for the ‘safety’ of the World Cup: “Be careful, this is La Moncola. Don’t leave the Cup…”.