Fabian Ruiz and Gavi Receive Weight in Tomatoes After World Cup Win

Spanish midfielders Fabian Ruiz and Gavi received their own body weight in tomatoes this week after returning to their hometown of Los Palacios y Villafranca. The tradition honors the pair’s contribution to Spain’s World Cup victory, continuing a local custom for championship-winning athletes.

Winning a World Cup usually involves gold medals and parades, but for two of Spain’s stars, the most distinct reward was produce. After defeating Argentina in the World Cup final, Fabian Ruiz and Gavi returned to Los Palacios y Villafranca, a town in Andalusia located to the south of Seville with a population lower than 40,000, for an official reception at the town hall. According to ESPN, the town has a population of around 35,000 people.

The event centered on a longtime local tradition where athletes are rewarded with their weight in tomatoes. According to the BBC, the pair wore their gold medals as they were greeted by Los Palacios y Villafranca officials and a large crowd. The pair stepped on weighing scales during the reception to determine exactly how much of the local crop they would receive.

The Weight of Victory: Ruiz and Gavi’s Totals

The specific amount of produce delivered varied by the players’ physical stats. While the sources provide slightly different figures, the scale of the gift remains consistent across reports.

Player	Weight (Kilograms)	Weight (Pounds)
Fabian Ruiz	84–85kg	185–187 lbs
Gavi	68–68.5kg	150–151 lbs

ESPN reported Ruiz, who plays for Paris Saint-Germain and started the final against Argentina, weighed in at 84kg (185 lbs), while Barcelona’s Gavi checked in at 68kg (150 lbs). The BBC reported Ruiz is to receive 85kg and Gavi 68.5kg. Fox News on X cited figures of 187 pounds for Ruiz and 151 pounds for Gavi. Combined, the two midfielders took home 338 pounds of tomatoes.

For a town known for its production of tomatoes, the gesture is more than a quirk; it is a formal recognition of elite achievement. Local officials told the BBC that the practice has become a hallmark of the municipality for honouring its great athletes.

The Jesus Navas Precedent

This wasn’t the first time a World Cup winner from Los Palacios y Villafranca faced the scales. Former Manchester City and Sevilla forward Jesus Navas attended the reception as the pioneer of this specific honor. Navas was the first player from Los Palacios y Villafranca to win the World Cup, achieving the feat in 2010.

Fabián and Gavi receive their weight in tomatoes as a tribute for winning the World Cup

Navas established the blueprint for this homecoming, receiving the tomato tribute following the 2010 victory. Both he and Ruiz were gifted tomatoes again after Spain won Euro 2024. This lineage of winners underscores the town’s growing reputation for producing top-level football talent despite its small size; ESPN notes the town has now developed three World Cup winners.

Permanent Tributes in Los Palacios y Villafranca

Beyond the perishable gifts, the town is cementing the legacy of its champions through infrastructure and monuments. The local sports pavilion already bears the names of Navas and Ruiz. As a further tribute to their achievements, the municipality will now have football fields renamed after Ruiz and Gavi.

A town council statement reported by the BBC added, In addition, the town hall will promote the construction of a monument dedicated to the three champions from Los Palacios. The statement further explained, “In this way, the city council wants to pay permanent tribute to three athletes who represent the pride of an entire town and who, with their sporting and human trajectory, have become role models for several generations of children and young people.”

From the Pitch to the Pantry

While the symbolic value of the tomatoes is high, the practical logistics of managing hundreds of pounds of produce are less clear. The celebration spree following the victory over Argentina has seen the players receive various gifts from diehard soccer fans in Spain, but the sheer volume of this specific hometown honor leaves the players with a significant amount of food to manage. One suggestion noted is that the easiest way to handle the produce would be to donate it to a charity.