MADRID (AFP) - Spain's Euro 2012 heroes parted a red-and-yellow sea of cheering fans on Monday, winding through Madrid's baking streets on a victory parade that briefly eclipsed an economic crisis.
Captain Iker Casillas and his teammates passed around a silver trophy captured in their 4-0 thrashing of Italy, unleashing explosions of joy as they toured the capital in an open-top double-decker bus.
Hundreds of thousands of people lined the route, solidly packing steets from the pavement to the edge of the bus, chased by running fans, and escorted by mounted police.
Awaiting the party's climax in Plaza de Cibeles square, fans packed in 36 deg C heat and were sprayed with water hoses, dancing as pop groups played on a huge stage, backed by a giant video screen.
