Fans welcome Spain to Chattanooga for World Cup

The Spanish national football team arriving at their hotel in Chattanooga in front of hundreds of fans on Friday afternoon.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- “This is the coolest thing ever.”

One of the world’s best soccer teams is now in the Scenic City following their arrival this afternoon.

As they reached the Embassy Suites Hotel in downtown Chattanooga, they were greeted by hundreds of screaming fans.

Those fans, some of whom waited hours, all wanted to catch a glimpse of La Roja, also known as the Spanish National Soccer Team.

Currently ranked second in the FIFA World Rankings, only behind reigning champion Argentina, Spain is looking to win their second ever World Cup trophy, as their lone championship was in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

Chattanooga will be their base camp during the tournament, as they will practice at Baylor School.

Fans we spoke with say they are incredibly excited to see La Roja in person here in Chattanooga.

One fan, Drew said, “My favorite team is Spain. My favorite player is Lamine Yamal, so it’s a dream to be able to see these guys and go see them in Atlanta as well when they play there.”

Another fan, a child named Samuel, also praised Lamine Yamal, the 18-year-old phenom who is already one of the world’s most popular players, as he will be making his World Cup debut this tournament.

Yamal currently plays for FC Barcelona in Spain, one of the most popular soccer clubs in the world.

Samuel said, “I love his flair, I like his dribbling skills and also his ability to score.”

Other favorites we heard included Marc Cucurella, Ferran Torres, Eric Garcia, and Pedri.

The fans we spoke with say this moment for both Chattanooga and Baylor School is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

David, who is a student at Baylor School, said that “When I saw the social media post that Spain was coming to Chattanooga to train at Baylor, it blew my mind. I was so shocked that it happened and it’s just a great honor to have my home school be the home of all of these amazing players, the best players in the world!”

Another fan, Julian, said that he and his friends have been Chattahooligans, supporters of Chattanooga FC, for years, and says this is the culmination of the rise of the sport’s popularity in Chattanooga.

Julian said, “It’s been awesome to see the culture shift. To see the number of fans increase into the sport for the love of the sport. It’s great for the kids. They’re getting in the sport, and the adults that are learning about the sport. I think the World Cup is such a significant event to bring people together.”

Spanish head coach Luis de la Fuente, with the pressure of being one of the tournament’s favorites to win, says his team is excited to be in Chattanooga to begin their preparations.

They were greeted by Chattanooga mayor Tim Kelly at the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport upon their arrival to the Scenic City,

Fuente said (translated from Spanish), “Yes, yes, yes. We’re very, very excited. Really looking forward to it starting. And well, just being here in World Cup territory already makes us, I insist, much happier, and we keep saying it again and again—we can’t wait for this World Cup to begin.”

Fans like Hayden and Tony we spoke with seem confident in La Roja’s chances.

Hayden said, “I think they play the most beautiful football in this tournament so for sure, for sure I have them as my number one.”

Tony added, “They’re definitely a top contender. I would like to see them at the final.”

Spain’s first match in this World Cup is on June 15 against Cape Verde in Atlanta.

Saturday, they will hold a community practice session at Baylor School, where they will train during the tournament.

We will be there to provide you coverage on our social media pages and Saturday evening at 11 on News 12 This Weekend.

The World Cup begins next Thursday with Mexico hosting South Africa, while the United States plays their opening match next Friday in Los Angeles against Paraguay.

This will be the second time the United States has hosted the World Cup, the other time being in 1994.