By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, July 20: He arrived at MBKS Square as a lone supporter carrying the hopes of Spain, but by the end of the night, Spanish tourist Adrian Otero Pensado found himself surrounded by hundreds of Sarawakians celebrating alongside him as if they were teammates.
The 24-year-old was among about 800 football fans who gathered for the FIFA World Cup 2026 final live telecast organised by the Kuching South City Council (MBKS) in the early hours of this morning.
Dressed proudly in Spain’s red jersey and holding his country’s flag, Adrian stood among the crowd as La Roja fought defending champions Argentina in a tense final that kept supporters on edge until the very end.
When the final whistle confirmed Spain’s 1-0 victory after extra time, Adrian leapt to his feet, cheering and waving the Spanish flag in celebration.
At first, he appeared to be celebrating the historic moment alone.
But as the crowd’s attention shifted from the giant screen to the jubilant Spaniard among them, nearby supporters quickly realised there was a fellow fan of the newly crowned world champions in their midst.
Within moments, strangers became friends.
Several Sarawakians rushed over to congratulate Adrian, jumping alongside him and sharing hugs as they celebrated Spain’s triumph together. The atmosphere grew even more festive when some supporters handed him a replica World Cup trophy and encouraged him to lead the victory celebrations.
Holding the trophy high while waving the Spanish flag, Adrian found himself at the centre of an impromptu World Cup party, with local fans joining him in chanting and celebrating Spain’s long-awaited return to football glory.
Speaking to reporters afterwards, Adrian said the moment captured the true spirit of football.
“This is the amazing thing about football. It makes the feelings move around the world. It’s amazing,” he said.
The Spaniard, who is visiting Sarawak with his cousin, said he never expected to experience such a memorable celebration while travelling thousands of kilometres away from home.
“I think I am the only Spaniard here, alongside my cousin. Both of us are here in Kuching, Sarawak, on holiday,” he said.
For Adrian, sharing Spain’s victory with Sarawakians made the achievement even more special.
“I’m very happy. It has been 16 years before winning, and today it is also against the last match of Lionel Messi in the World Cup. It’s amazing,” he said.
Spain secured its second FIFA World Cup title after Ferran Torres scored the winning goal in the 106th minute of extra time, ending Argentina’s hopes of defending their 2022 crown.
The victory marked Spain’s return to the top of world football since their maiden World Cup triumph in 2010.
But for Adrian, the memory of Spain lifting the trophy will forever be tied to something beyond the result itself: a night in Kuching when a group of strangers welcomed him into their celebration and became his teammates for a moment of football history.
The heartwarming moment of Adrian celebrating with Sarawakians after Spain’s victory can be viewed in the video here: https://youtube.com/shorts/Q0Vv80kTh3M?si=JhpBjcLdfM_v8TMh. — DayakDaily
