Puebla welcomes Spain with a huge turnout

It is nothing out of the ordinary, yet the passion with which the Spanish national team is welcomed wherever it goes never ceases to impress, nor does the affection it inspires among its supporters around the world.

After a three-hour journey, the aircraft carrying the squad from Chattanooga touched down at Puebla International Airport shortly after 7:00 p.m. local time — eight hours later in mainland Spain. Upon disembarking, the players were greeted by dozens of fans, who broke into chants and cheers in support of their idols.

The scenes at the team hotel were even more remarkable. Several hundred supporters had gathered in the surrounding area hours before the squad’s arrival. Once the players reached the hotel, the crowd erupted with excitement at the sight of the Spanish internationals, who took time to acknowledge the fans’ support before heading inside.

Spain return to Puebla 40 years on from their only previous appearance in the city. The national team’s sole fixture in Puebla was played on 22 June 1986 during the FIFA World Cup in Mexico. This, however, will be the seventh occasion on which Spain have played in the country.

On Monday, at 8:00 p.m. local time (04:00 in mainland Spain), Spain will take on Peru at the Estadio Cuauhtémoc, a venue with a capacity of more than 50,000 spectators. To date, the two nations have met on three occasions, with Spain emerging victorious each time.