The great thing about winning a major tournament like the World Cup isn’t just the trophy itself; it’s all the other stuff that comes with it.
Prize money, endorsements, the adulation of millions across your nation.
And, in the case of two Spanish soccer players, the win has scored them a metric assload of tomatoes.
SPAIN BEATS ARGENTINA TO WIN 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP BEHIND FERRAN TORRES’ EXTRA-TIME GOAL
Midfielders Fabian Ruiz and Gavi both hail from the city of Los Palacios y Villafranca, which has a tradition of rewarding champions with tomatoes.
According to UPI, the province that the city is in, Seville, is known for tomato production, but it doesn’t just give out a commemorative tomato on a plaque. Instead, the two champs had to hop on scales at an event at a town hall, because each of them was being rewarded with their weight in tomatoes.
Ruiz left with 187 pounds of the fruit (I know, I think it should be a vegetable too, but you have to trust the science) while Gavi’s supply is a little smaller at 151 pounds.
I’m torn on this one. I like the idea of towns, states, cities and provinces rewarding people with their weight in whatever their greatest export is.
This is mainly because under these rules, if I did anything good enough, I’d have a lot of Lebanon bologna (how many pounds is not important, just know that it would be plenty).
But, on the other hand, aren’t like 130 pounds of those tomatoes just going to go bad?
And where do you store them? I know it’s the thought that counts, but if someone said to you, “Hey, here’s 200 pounds of tomatoes, champ,” you’d be like, “I guess I can keep some of them in the guest bathroom tub…”
You have to just give them away. That happened to me with a giant case of Tastykakes that I once happened to receive (long story). Everyone who came by my house for anything left with a box of Butterscotch Krimpets.
Nonetheless, it’s a cool tradition, and I think there is going to be a lot of pan con tomate (which is delicious) in Ruiz and Gavi’s future.
