1ST LEADS: Spain World Cup heroes fly in, prepare for celebrations

Jul 12, 2010, 14:22 GMT

Madrid - Spain's World Cup heroes flew into Madrid on Monday, carrying with them the World Cup won with 1-0 victory against the Netherlands on Sunday.

The Spanish victory flight from Johannesburg had been delayed for three hours.

Hundreds of delighted fans went out to Madrid's Barajas airport to welcome their heroes home, but Andres Iniesta and company were quickly driven off to the Zarzuela royal palace for an official audience with King Juan Carlos.

The king, a keen sports fan, was unable to attend the final because he is recovering from a lung operation.

After the royal audience the players were to go to Moncloa, the seat of government, to meet Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.

Afterwards, there will be a victory parade through the streets of the capital, with around 3 million fans expected to turn out to greet Vicente del Bosque's team.

The parade will start in Moncloa, then continue through key parts of the capital before finishing late on Monday with a celebration in the Puente del Rey, on the banks of the Manzanares river.