ISLAMABAD: Two of Spain’s World Cup 2026 heroes received a rather unusual reward for their championship triumph, a gift of tomatoes equal to their own body weight.
Spanish midfielders Gavi and Fabian Ruiz returned to their hometown of Los Palacios y Villafranca on July 21, where local officials presented them with the unique tribute as part of a long-standing community tradition honouring major sporting achievements.
The pair, who helped Spain defeat Argentina 1-0 in Sunday’s World Cup final, stepped onto weighing scales during an official civic reception. Paris Saint-Germain’s Ruiz tipped the scales at 85 kilograms (187 pounds), while Barcelona’s Gavi weighed in at 68.5 kilograms (151 pounds), and both received that exact quantity of locally grown tomatoes.
Spain’s Fabián Ruiz and Gavi received tomatoes equal to their body weight after winning the World Cup@FabianRP52 https://t.co/53OcWYDI9a
A #MyInd365 Report@pburavalli @HarithaPusarla @Sanatan_Kranti @myindmakers
Subscribe to #MyInd365 today-https://t.co/qK8rctA1M6 pic.twitter.com/oMrBPH7dwl
— Smritirupa (@DuttaSmritirupa) July 23, 2026
A tradition born from Spain’s 2010 triumph
The unusual custom dates back to Spain’s first World Cup victory in 2010, when fellow Los Palacios native Jesús Navas helped establish the tradition after lifting the trophy in South Africa.
The town, located south of Seville in the Andalusia region, has since continued the tradition for major tournament victories. Navas received the same tribute after Spain’s Euro 2012 win, while Ruiz was honoured following Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph.
Local officials described the gesture as one that “has become a hallmark of the municipality for honouring its great athletes”.
Fabián y Gavi reciben su peso en tomates como homenaje por ganar el Mundial pic.twitter.com/Tujcv9eYsg
— EL MUNDO (@elmundoes) July 22, 2026
Beyond the tomatoes: Lasting tributes
In addition to the tomato presentation, the World Cup winners received banners featuring Tomatito, the mascot of the 1982 World Cup hosted by Spain.
The town also announced that two local football grounds will be renamed the “Fabián Ruiz Football Field” and the “Pablo Martín Páez Gavira Football Field” in their honour.
Los Palacios y Villafranca’s town council further revealed plans to construct a monument commemorating all three of the town’s world champions, Navas, Ruiz and Gavi, to serve as “role models for several generations of children and young people”.
Spain’s 1-0 extra-time victory over Argentina, secured by Ferran Torres’ 106th-minute goal, delivered the nation’s second World Cup title and sparked celebrations across the country before the hometown festivities began.
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Spain’s record-breaking world cup prize
Beyond the quirky hometown tradition of gifting Gavi and Fabian Ruiz their body weight in tomatoes, Spain’s World Cup triumph came with a far heavier financial reward.
🚨💰 Spain may have won the World Cup… but FIFA hit the REAL jackpot. 🏆
Spain earned $50M for lifting the trophy, while Argentina collected $33M as runners-up. 🇪🇸🇦🇷
FIFA distributed a total of $871M in prize money across all 48 teams:
▪️ Group stage: $9 million.
▪️ Next… pic.twitter.com/zee19Tr7M6— Rhythm FM (@937RhythmFm) July 24, 2026
The champions pocketed a historic $50 million from FIFA, the largest winner’s payout in tournament history. Including guaranteed participation fees of $10 million for qualification and $2.5 million for preparation, Spain’s total earnings surpassed $63.5 million.
Read Also: What World Learns from FIFA World Cup 2026
The tournament’s overall prize fund reached an unprecedented $871 million, nearly doubling the 2022 pool. Runners-up Argentina earned $33 million, while third and fourth place received $29 million and $27 million, respectively.
Read Also: Spain Captain Rodri Wins World Cup Player of the Tournament Award
Every one of the 48 participating nations walked away with at least $12.5 million, cementing the 2026 edition as the most financially rewarding World Cup in football history.
