Almost two million Spaniards, many still bleary-eyed and feeling a little delicate after the country’s historic World Cup victory against Argentina, descended on central Madrid on Monday night to welcome the triumphant national team home.

La Roja, who beat Argentina 1-0 in the final in New Jersey on Sunday night, were afforded the first of many heroes’ welcomes when they touched down at Madrid’s Barajas airport at 2.30pm local time on Monday.

Spain’s captain, Rodri, waved the trophy aloft as he emerged from the plane, his medal from the previous night around his neck. The team posed for a photo before heading into terminal four where hundreds of delighted fans, many in Spain strips and carrying the country’s red-and-yellow rojigualda flag, waited and hoped for a glimpse of the freshly minted champions.

Their first stop was an audience with King Felipe, Queen Letizia and their daughters, Princess Leonor and Princess Sofía, at the Zarzuela palace, northwest of Madrid, where the king paid tribute to their talent and determination.

“It’s been an epic triumph,” he said. “It’s been a privilege and a joy for the four of us to see you play in the final and to be able to celebrate with you that moment of lifting the cup, with immense thanks from all of Spain.”

Felipe also praised their fortitude, saying: “You’ve suffered, you’ve come home bruised and tired, you’ve endured some criticism, but what is all that compared with the joy of bringing the cup home?”

The team’s next meeting was a visit to the Moncloa palace – the office and residence of the prime minister – to see Pedro Sánchez. The socialist prime minister offered the players and technical staff “massive thanks … for the game, for the effort and for the victory”.

Speaking at the Moncloa palace, Rodri said that “winning for you country is the most beautiful thing there is”. He added: “This generation grew up watching [Iker] Casillas and [Andrés] Iniesta lift the cup [in 2010] and having been able to do that today is the biggest thing you can do in football.”

The highlight for the fans – who braved the 34C evening heat – was the victory parade that wound its way from Moncloa to the Plaza de Cibeles just outside Madrid city hall. They crowded into the square, some sheltering from the sun under umbrellas, as the team approached in an open-topped bus. The central government’s delegate in Madrid put attendance along the route at around 1.8 million.

Madrid’s mayor, José Luis Martínez Almeida, told Radio Nacional de España that the capital had been working to give the team the homecoming they deserved. He also hailed the peaceful and joyous scenes that had greeted Spain’s victory on Sunday night.

“Even though there were thousands and thousands of people on the streets last night, there were practically no incidents in the city,” he said.

“We’re getting everything ready for tonight … The thing we’re focusing on is how to celebrate and greet a team that will live for ever in our memory.”

The victory – Spain’s second men’s World Cup win after their triumph against the Netherlands in South Africa in 2010 – was seen by hundreds of thousand of Spaniards who followed the match in bars, parks, fairgrounds, bullrings, and on giant screens in the centre of Madrid. The Spanish press have hailed it as “a unique collective experience” made possible by a young team that reflects all that is best about a modern, diverse and determined country.

The win has also been enthusiastically hailed by the country’s political class.

“WE ARE WORLD CHAMPIONS!!” Sánchez wrote in a social media post. “What an amazing national squad. Thank you, team.”

Alberto Núñez Feijóo, the leader of Spain’s conservative People’s party, was equally free with the capital letters. “Well-deserved WORLD CHAMPIONS! Values, hard work, humility, and faith. You have made history. There are no limits for this team … Long live Spain!!!” he wrote on X.

Santiago Abascal, the leader of the far-right Vox party, also offered his congratulations to the team for carrying “the flag of Spain so far and so high”.

The Spanish postal service, Correos, has announced the creation of a special stamp to commemorate what it called “one of the greatest achievements in the history of Spanish sport”. The red-coloured stamp will bear the word CAMPEONES and feature two stars – one for each of Spain’s World Cup victories.