World Cup winners Fabián Ruiz and Gavi have received their weight in tomatoes from their hometown after helping Spain win the competition for a second time.
The pair come from Los Palacios y Villafranca, a town to the south of Seville that has a population of fewer than 40,000, and returned there on Wednesday, July 22, for an official reception at the town hall.
As part of the occasion to honour their achievement, they both stepped onto weighing scales to establish the quantity of tomatoes they would each be given.
Ruiz received 85kg and Gavi 68.5kg in a tradition that local officials say “has become a hallmark of the municipality for honouring its great athletes”.
Former Spain winger Jesus Navas also attended as he was the first player from Los Palacios y Villafranca to win the World Cup, when he did so in 2010.
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Navas, the former Manchester City forward, and Ruiz also received the gift of tomatoes after Spain won Euro 2024.
The town’s sports pavilion is named after Navas and Ruiz, and Gavi will now have football fields renamed after them as a tribute to their achievements.
“In addition, the town hall will promote the construction of a monument dedicated to the three champions from Los Palacios,” said a town council statement., external
“In this way, the city council wants to pay permanent tribute to three athletes who represent the pride of an entire town and who, with their sporting and human trajectory, have become role models for several generations of children and young people.”
