Spain's Ruiz, Gavi Get Weight in Tomatoes After WC Win
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- Fabián Ruiz and Gavi received their weight in tomatoes from Los Palacios y Villafranca after Spain's World Cup victory, continuing a tradition started by Jesús Navas in 2010
- Ruiz weighed in at 84 kilograms (185 pounds), while Gavi checked in at 68 kilograms (150 pounds) during a Tuesday town hall reception
- Los Palacios y Villafranca, an Andalusian town famous for tomato production and increasingly for producing top-level footballers, has honored its local players after every World Cup and European Championship triumph
- Jesús Navas was the first recipient of the tomato honor after Spain's 2010 World Cup win, later adding Euro 2012 and Euro 2024 titles to his résumé
- Ruiz was also part of Spain's Euro 2024 squad, while the 2025 World Cup was Gavi's first senior international silverware
- Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 in the World Cup final in North America this summer, then paraded through Madrid on Monday before heading south to continue the celebrations
Why it matters: Three Los Palacios y Villafranca products — Navas, Ruiz, and Gavi — have now been honored across five major tournament wins (2010 World Cup, Euro 2012, Euro 2024, 2025 World Cup), giving a single Andalusian town of modest size an outsized claim in Spanish football history. The tomato ritual is what binds the honor to the town's agricultural identity.
