Real Madrid showcase La Decimoquinta to the madridistas
The squad, the coaching staff and the Board of Directors visited the Almudena Cathedral and the headquarters of the Comunidad de Madrid and the City Council.
Real Madrid celebrated La Decimoquinta with a big party that began with institutional visits. The squad and coaching staff, with president Florentino Pérez and the Board of Directors, took the European Cup with them to the Almudena Cathedral and the Comunidad de Madrid and City Hall headquarters. Throughout the route, and as was the case with the 36th league title, our players were surrounded by fans who packed the streets to celebrate the third trophy of the season, a success that belongs to all madridistas.
The first stop was at the Almudena Cathedral, where they were welcomed by the city's archbishop, José Cobo, who said: "The Church wants to congratulate you from the bottom of its heart for this trophy and what it means for you and for our city. You are champions and it's a privilege obtained through hard work and a personal and social responsibility. Congratulations for all your hard work and effort. Thanks to God, you demonstrate that sport is a means to value, to express talent and to build a better society. Sport teaches us the value of brotherhood. On the field, origins and languages don't matter, but commitment and a common goal. You prove that we are all members of the same family".
The squad and coaching staff paid tribute to the Virgen de la Almudena with the 15th European Cup and the president Florentino Pérez and Nacho presented the Archbishop of Madrid with a replica of the trophy and a jersey signed by the whole squad.
Comunidad de Madrid
The next stop was the Real Casa de Correos, headquarters of the Comunidad de Madrid, where Isabel Díaz Ayuso was waiting to welcome them and an exchange of gifts took place. Florentino Pérez and Nacho handed over a replica of the European Cup and two jerseys, one of them signed for the president of the Comunidad de Madrid, who reciprocated with a commemorative souvenir. Following the screening of a video featuring the best images of the final at Wembley, Nacho spoke: "It's a pleasure for all of us. We're very happy because we're European champions again. 15 times European champions. We continue to make history and this club never gets tired of winning trophies. It's very easy to be captain with players with such ambition. Hopefully this club will come here a lot more times".
Florentino Pérez: "We are capable of achieving things with this crest that are difficult to explain"
"Dear president, thank you for this welcome in the Comunidad de Madrid. Every time we come here we feel the support and love from the people of Madrid. We have with us today four Real Madrid players who have won six European Cups, the same as Gento: our first captain Nacho, Dani Carvajal, Luka Modrić and someone who is closing a chapter of his life as a football player, and who we have to thank for everything he has represented on and off the pitch. Thank you, dear Toni Kroos. Thank you for your excellent football and for your exemplary behaviour over the years. This legendary team has won 6 Champions League titles in 10 years. This is the proof that nobody ever gives up with this crest and that we are capable of achieving magical things that seem impossible and that are difficult to explain".
"It has been an impressive season: the 15th European Cup, La Liga and the Spanish Super Cup. This team has given everything and has shown that it continues to be hungry for victories and trophies. That's why I'm already telling you that this club is working right now to fulfil a new dream, which is the 16th European Cup’.
Díaz Ayuso: ‘Belonging to Real Madrid means not wanting to have a complex about winning and not being afraid of defeat"
"We are welcoming the best football team in the world to their home and we're doing so at the best time in their history, when they are experiencing the greatest sporting successes. This is a team that is as much Madrid as it is international. Being from Madrid is fantastic. Nobody is left indifferent. Every match this team plays is a spectacle that seduces everyone. Belonging to Real Madrid means not wanting to have complexes about winning and not being afraid of defeat and wanting to fly high. Today the old Chamartín is also the best stadium in the world. History that you made, history to be made".
Following the speeches, the traditional group photo was taken and then came one of the most eagerly awaited moments when the players and Ancelotti went out onto the balcony of the Comunidad de Madrid headquarters to showcase the trophy to the fans who packed the Puerta del Sol.
Visit to the City Hall
The last stop was at the City Hall, where there was another exchange of gifts. President Florentino Pérez and Nacho presented a replica of the trophy and two jerseys, one of them signed by the entire squad, to Mayor José Luis Martínez-Almeida, who returned the gesture with a figure of a menina. He also presented Nacho, Carvajal, Kroos and Modrić, the four active players with six European Cups, with a book entitled Madrid de blanco.
Martínez-Almeida: "What you have achieved in the last ten years is heroic and a feat"
After watching a video with special moments from the final against Borussia Dortmund, the mayor spoke: "You have brought us the 15th European Cup with the most successful president in the club's history. Thank you for impressing the world. What you have achieved in the last ten years, winning six European Cups, is heroic and a feat. Real Madrid is a family and that is one of the keys to your success. One of the brothers-in-law took us to London and the other has enabled us to win this cup. It is as amazing to win six European Cups in ten years as the ease with which you win them. Real Madrid is the icon of this city...
Florentino Pérez: "The answer to what Real Madrid does comes down to values such as hard work, sacrifice, the desire to excel and solidarity"
"We came here just a few weeks ago with the 36th La Liga title and we promised that this team was going to try with all our might to win the fifteenth European Cup. And we bring it here today. We want to share this latest Champions League with all the madridistas and also with all the madrileños. When people ask themselves how what Real Madrid is doing is possible, the answer lies in these values that have to do with hard work, sacrifice, the desire to improve, humility, respect and solidarity".
"Everyone knows what Real Madrid is all about and what its great love affair with the European Cup is like, the competition that Santiago Bernabéu promoted together with the French newspaper L'Équipe. Today is precisely the 46th anniversary of the passing of our beloved president Santiago Bernabéu, the man who showed us the way to tackle the future of our club".
The last to speak was captain Nacho: "We're here again, Mayor, and we're delighted. We promised and we keep our promises. Families, like this great club, realise dreams and we are here to make them come true". The event concluded with a group photo and the players headed to Cibeles.