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Spanish team's plane lands in Argentina after Albiceleste's defeat
๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ท Argentina /Sports

Spanish team's plane lands in Argentina after Albiceleste's defeat

From La Naciรณn · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Context piece
  • An Iberia Airbus A350, specially designed to honor the Spanish national football team, landed in Argentina days after the Argentine team's World Cup final loss.
  • The aircraft, featuring Spanish players and the slogan โ€œA team takes off, a country flies,โ€ arrived amid global criticism of the Argentine team.
  • The arrival coincided with a warm welcome for the Argentine team at Ezeiza Airport, highlighting a stark contrast in recent football sentiment.

An Airbus A350 operated by Iberia, emblazoned with images of Spanish national football team players and the slogan "A team takes off, a country flies," landed at Argentina's Ezeiza International Airport on Tuesday. The specially designed aircraft, which had transported the Spanish team during the 2026 World Cup, arrived just days after the Argentine national team returned home following their defeat in the tournament's final. The plane's arrival occurred amidst what the source describes as "contempt for the Argentine national team around the world."

Iberia, a sponsor of the Spanish team, commissioned the unique livery before the World Cup to showcase its "commitment to the team" and shared values like "effort, teamwork, and the spirit of overcoming challenges." The aircraft served the European squad throughout their World Cup stay from June 11 to July 19. The airline stated the plane would become a symbol of shared support and pride for millions backing the Spanish team.

We are very proud of you guys. You represented all of us with dignity and we have nothing more to say than thank you.

โ€” Empresa Argentina de Navegaciรณn Aรฉrea (EANA) professionalsA welcome message prepared for the Argentine national football team upon their arrival.

The timing of the Iberia flight's arrival was described as "inopportune" for Argentine air traffic control and the airport authority. This followed a touching welcome ceremony for the Argentine team, where airport professionals expressed pride and gratitude for their dignified representation of the country. Aeropuertos Argentina also prepared a special reception for the team, emphasizing their status as "our champions" despite the final loss.

You made an entire country immensely happy. Thank you for so much commitment, effort, and dedication. You will always be our champions. Thank you very much.

โ€” Ezeiza control towerA message prepared by the Ezeiza control tower for the Argentine national football team.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by La Naciรณn in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.