Celebrations got underway in New York City on Sunday as Spain beat defending champions Argentina for their second-ever FIFA World Cup win.
The match put New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium on the world stage with an estimated 2 billion watching around the globe and a full house of about 80,000 fans inside.
Fans pack Mercado Little Spain
Spain fans packed into Mercado Little Spain in Hudson Yards to watch the final on giant screens.
Some traveled all the way from Spain to be closer to the action.
“We are super, super happy about it. We have been the whole summer working here, living the Spanish matches, and now we are world winners,” another person said.
There were hugs, cheers, tears of joy and plenty of singing as Spain took the trophy.
Thousands gather for Central Park watch party
Watch parties were taking place all across the city.
People crowded on sidewalks around a LinkNYC kiosk, and hundreds gathered in Times Square.
Around 50,000 fans packed into the Great Lawn in Central Park for what organizers are calling the largest World Cup watch party in the world.
Fans said if you couldn’t get to MetLife, it was the next best place to be – watching on giant screens with tens of thousands of locals and visitors on a beautiful, sunny day.
“Spain hit that goal, like, this whole place is insane, and the reactions were great,” one fan said.