Spain celebrate Euro title in Madrid

 MADRID, July 2 (Xinhua) -- The players of the Spain football team have celebrated¹ their historic success in the 2012 European Championship with their followers² in the Spanish capital city of Madrid.

Spain defeated Italy 4-0 in Sunday's final played in Kiev to make history by becoming the only team to defend their European title, while also winning the World Cup in between the two competitions.

The plane carrying the Spain team arrived at Madrid's Barajas Airport from Kiev just before 4pm local time and the squad³ left for the Royal Palace of the Zarzuela just over an hour later.

King Juan Carlos of Spain congratulated the players and coach Vicente del Bosque one by one for their success, while Spain captain Iker Casillas gave the King a commemorative shirt.

The team then took an open-topped-bus to travel through the packed streets of the capital to the Plaza⁴ Cibeles in the center of Madrid.

The sheer volume of hundreds of thousands of supporters lining⁵ the streets meant the journey took much longer than expected, but nobody seemed to mind as everyone joined in the celebrations. Even the firemen, who used their hoses to help ensure that none of the supporters suffered too much from the heat.

The bus finally reached Cibeles, where thousands more fans were waiting. There the players were finally able to get off the bus and receive the applause and enjoy the incredible celebrations they so richly deserve.

1 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

2 followers   

追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件

参考例句：

• the followers of Mahatma Gandhi 圣雄甘地的拥护者
• The reformer soon gathered a band of followers round him. 改革者很快就获得一群追随者支持他。

3 squad   

n.班，小队，小团体；vt.把…编成班或小组

参考例句：

• The squad leader ordered the men to mark time.班长命令战士们原地踏步。
• A squad is the smallest unit in an army.班是军队的最小构成单位。

4 plaza   

n.广场，市场

参考例句：

• They designated the new shopping centre York Plaza.他们给这个新购物中心定名为约克购物中心。
• The plaza is teeming with undercover policemen.这个广场上布满了便衣警察。

5 lining   

n.衬里，衬料

参考例句：

• The lining of my coat is torn.我的外套衬里破了。
• Moss makes an attractive lining to wire baskets.用苔藓垫在铁丝篮里很漂亮。