Music and cigars at Cibeles – how Real Madrid finally celebrated their La Liga title

“I have a dream. I want to dance with Eduardo Camavinga. Music, maestro!’

Carlo Ancelotti’s words brought roars of laughter from the crowd gathered at Madrid’s Cibeles fountain. The volume was then promptly turned up and coach and player — with great smiles on their faces — became the living image of Real Madrid’s La Liga title celebrations on Sunday afternoon. As they synchronised their moves and danced, the rest of the squad started a conga and 60,000 fans below bounced with joy.

Madrid had sealed their record-extending 36th Spanish league title the weekend before, after Barcelona were beaten 4-2 at Girona in the hours that followed their own 3-0 home victory over Cadiz. But they decided not to formally celebrate until this weekend, given they had the small matter of a Champions League semi-final to deal with.

🤣🕺 We all want to dance with @Camavinga too, @MrAncelotti!#36Ligas pic.twitter.com/gYPTmi5jiM

— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) May 12, 2024

This weekend too, they decided to wait. On Saturday they were in Granada, and the Spanish FA’s (RFEF) initial plans were to present them with the trophy there. Madrid preferred this not to happen, with club sources stating it was out of respect for a rival set to be relegated on the same day — as indeed happened before kick-off.

Madrid impressed again in a 4-0 victory in Andalusia, before returning back to the Spanish capital. But Sunday morning started with a rather unusual trophy handover — Madrid captain Nacho received it from RFEF president Pedro Rocha, whose position has been rather complicated by the ongoing ‘Operacion Brodie’ case brought by Spanish anti-corruption prosecutors. Rocha has denied any wrongdoing, but is one of several individuals placed under investigation.

Madrid’s squad then left for the city centre by coach. The tradition of celebrating at the Cibeles fountain (where a statue honours Cybele, a Phrygian deity) dates back to the 1980s. For some of the team’s players — including last summer signing Jude Bellingham — this was their first such experience, but before the party could begin there were a few more formalities to get through.

At local government buildings at the Puerta del Sol, dressed in dark suits, Madrid’s players, coaching staff and directors filed in to meet local dignitaries — all except for Joselu, who got momentarily lost and walked past the designated spot. The hero of last week’s comeback against Bayern Munich was carrying a video camera and seemed more focussed on filming than institutional engagements, so Madrid president Florentino Perez stepped in to alert him of his duties in a moment that brought a few laughs.

Aurelien Tchouameni appeared on crutches, but despise having sustained a stress injury to his left foot in the Bayern game he sounded optimistic about his chances of returning in time for the Champions League final at Wembley on June 1. Then the players appeared on a balcony overlooking the square filled with fans below. The atmosphere began to liven up.

“The madman is here!”’ shouted Antonio Rudiger enthusiastically in good Spanish while Vinicius Junior couldn’t stop laughing. Nacho handed the microphone to Bellingham, who also spoke in Spanish. ‘Thank you very much for your support this season, we are going to win at Wembley!’ he shouted, before stretching his arms out wide like in his goal celebrations, to the great joy of supporters below.

Ancelotti had had to help Arda Guler properly fix his tie before the event, but formalities now disappeared and players swapped their suits for a commemorative T-shirt bearing the number 36. Some wore sunglasses and caps and they grabbed beers and soft drinks before boarding a convertible bus which drove them on towards the Cibeles fountain.

Madrid’s bus driving towards the Cibeles fountain (Jesus Troyano/Real Madrid/Real Madrid via Getty Images)

Davide Ancelotti took a cigar and his father Carlo did so too, repeating the iconic pose he struck at the 2022 celebrations here, surrounded by David Alaba, Eder Militao, Vinicius Jr, Rodrygo and Camavinga. Those close to the Madrid manager say he doesn’t really smoke cigars, and only did so for the photograph.

“When I arrived here I didn’t expect to come so many times to Cibeles, but I think now comes the good part,” Ancelotti said to reporters.

The chants followed, one after another. Ancelotti himself sang ‘Hala Madrid y Nada Mas’ a cappella as some players joined in, before Bellingham again took the microphone to sing ‘Como no te voy a querer?’, joined by fans below. Then the supporters chanted: Modric, quedate (Modric, stay).

“I am grateful for all the love they show me every day, I love them too. Will we have to stay? Let’s see, let’s see what happens. When they shout my name, it’s difficult for me to find the words. It’s not the time to talk about these things,” Modric said.

Nacho lifts the league trophy at Cibeles (Burak Akbulut/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Modric was not the only one who was asked to stay. Nacho is another whose contract is up at the end of June, and he was visibly moved by Sunday’s occasion. It was he, as captain, who finally climbed to the top of the Cibeles statue to put a Real Madrid drape around the goddess’ marble neck. He lifted the league trophy and at last everything was let loose in an explosion of colour that had been a long time coming.

“I’ve dreamt about it many nights, it’s taken me away but until you live it… I’m not going to forget,” Nacho said.

“I kissed the statue a few times, I didn’t want to leave and I said I hope we can see each other soon. We’ve told the mayor we are going to try to come back (if they win the Champions League).”

And that really summed things up.

Even in the midst of one set of title celebrations, Madrid’s players were already thinking about what could still be yet to come, and what might truly be a season to remember.

(Top photo: Oscar del Pozo/AFP via Getty Images)