🗣 Rafael Louzán: “Seville and Andalusia are the home of the national team.”

💚🤍💚 The RFEF President took part in the official reception hosted by the Andalusian Parliament on the day Spain played the 90th match in its history in Andalusia.

In the presence of a broad representation of regional and local institutions, Spain supporters and members of the media, the Andalusian Parliament hosted an official reception on Tuesday to mark the national team’s first match on home soil since winning the World Cup in the United States.

The seat of Andalusia’s regional legislature has hosted the Kings of the World exhibition in recent days. The tour continues across Spain with the World Cup trophy as its centrepiece, and the prestigious golden trophy occupied a prominent place during the event, which was opened by the President of the Andalusian Parliament, Ana Mestre. She highlighted football’s role as a force for social cohesion and transformation, “as the Spanish national team has demonstrated this summer.”

Just hours before Spain’s match against Croatia in Seville, RFEF President Rafael Louzán described the Andalusian capital and the whole region as “the home of the national team”, adding that “it was only right to be here, unveiling the shirt with the two stars on home soil. Thank you to all of Andalusia for the support and encouragement which, together with that of the whole of Spain, has allowed us to become world champions.”

For Rafael Louzán, the national team is currently the force that unites our country more than anything else. We had the mission of making an entire country happy, and the victory achieved in New York will leave its mark on many children. This wonderful moment is still continuing, with achievements such as the women’s U-20 national team winning the World Cup. We are enjoying a golden year, and that is why we thank all the football federations across Spain. The whole country contributes to ensuring that we have the best national team.”

The President of the Andalusian Government also stressed the same message, assuring the RFEF’s highest representative that “the national team will always have institutional support in this region and, above all, the passion, affection and commitment of all Andalusians.”

For Juanma Moreno, "we must feel deeply proud to be two-time world champions. We should make the most of this moment and savour it. Andalusia is a land of inexhaustible talent, as we demonstrated at the last World Cup, and this Tuesday we will witness a match that is not just another game, with the national team playing in front of a full stadium and with the support of the whole of Seville and Andalusia.”

On the same day that Andalusia hosted the national team’s 90th match in the region, Pedro Curtido, President of the Royal Andalusian Football Federation, highlighted the importance of Seville and Andalusia throughout the history of the national team, adding that “this region will also play an important role during the 2030 World Cup.”

The most moving moment of the event was provided by young supporter María Dolores Miranda, a student at IES Rodrigo Caro in Coria del Río, who attended with her family in the wheelchair she now requires after suffering quadriplegia as a result of Nile disease contracted during a school trip.

Lola, as she is affectionately known by those close to her, received a personalised Spain shirt from the RFEF President and the other dignitaries. They then visited the Kings of the World exhibition, which has already welcomed more than 6,000 visitors during its stay in the Andalusian capital.