Leonor and Sofía recreate their most unforgettable photo with the World Cup trophy 16 years later.

Princesses Leonor and Sofia during a reception for the Spanish team at the Royal palace in Madrid on July 12, 2010., Crown Princess Leonor of Spain and Princess Sofia of Spain meet national football team after the FIFA World Cup 2026 at Zarzuela Palace on July 20, 2026 in Madrid, Spain.
Princesses Leonor and Sofia with the World Cup trophy in 2010 and 2026.Credit : DOMINIQUE FAGET / AFP via Getty; Paolo Blocco/WireImage

The princesses joined their parents, King Felipe and Queen Letizia, at the championship game between Argentina in East Rutherford, N.J., on Sunday, July 19. Princess Leonor, 20, and Princess Sofia, 19, rooted on “La Roja” from a private box, as the King and Queen joined Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and President Donald Trump in a high-security suite.

The hard-fought match came down to one goal, made by Ferran Torres in the 106th minute, and the Spanish royals took the field after the match to celebrate with the team.

Players of Spain, Princess Leonor, Infanta Sofia and King Felipe VI celebrate with the trophy after winning the 2026 FIFA World Cup during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final match between Spain and Argentina at New York New Jersey Stadium on July 19, 2026 in East Rutherford, United States.
Princess Leonor, Princess Sofia and King Felipe celebrate with the Spanish national team following their World Cup victory over Argentina on July 19, 2026.Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty

After Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino presented the trophy to the winners, they handed it around to the royals, who hoisted the golden cup as the team sang and danced behind them.

For Leonor and Sofia, this year’s celebratory moment was extra special, as they were too young to attend the World Cup the last time Spain won, in 2010. The Spanish royal family was represented at those games, which were held in Johannesburg, South Africa, by then-Crown Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia, as well as Felipe’s parents, King Juan Carlos, who abdicated in 2014, and Queen Sofía.

The princesses did, however, get to join in the celebrations back home. They were on hand for the reception at the Royal Palace in Madrid when the team returned home, and Spain’s goalkeeper and captain, Iker Casillas, presented them with the trophy in a memorable moment.

Spain's goalkeeper and captain Iker Casillas (L) shows the trophy to Princesses Leonor (C) and Sofia (R), daughters of Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia during a reception for the Spanish team at the Royal palace in Madrid
Iker Casillas shows the World Cup trophy to Princess Leonor and Princess Sofia during a reception for the Spanish national team at the Royal Palace in Madrid on July 12, 2010. DOMINIQUE FAGET/AFP via Getty

The day after their latest victory, the royal family welcomed the team back to Spain once again. On Monday, July 12, the team attended a reception at the Zarzuela Palace before embarking on a series of public celebrations. The day culminated with La Roja presenting the World Cup trophy to their fans in the Plaza de Cibeles.

King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofia, during the audience with the Spanish national football team following their victory over Argentina in the FIFA World Cup final, on 20 July 2026, in Madrid, Spain.
Princess Leonor, King Felipe, Queen Letizia and Princess Sofia receive the World Cup champion Spanish national football team at the Zarzuela Palace on July 20, 2026.Jose Oliva/Europa Press via Getty

The royal family’s official social media accounts also celebrated the team with multiple social media posts, featuring photos and videos from the championship celebrations.

“Congratulations @sefutbol 🇪🇸💪🏻,” read the caption to their victory post. “This star is the reward for a journey that was as long as it was demanding—a path traveled with hard work, sacrifice, perseverance, and exemplary dedication in every match.”

“You faced every challenge with the conviction of a great team and took Spain’s name to the very top,” the post continued. “Congratulations to the players, the coaching staff, and all the fans. Today we celebrate a title; tomorrow we will remember a legend.”

It’s been an exciting year for the Spanish royal daughters, especially Princess Leonor, who has taken on more duties as heir to the throne.

The Princess of Asturias is in the final months of her three-year military training program, during which she spent time with the Spanish army, navy and air force — even becoming the first member of the Spanish royal family to qualify as a paratrooper. The preparation to one day lead Spain’s military forces will be completed later this year; in September, she will start a four-year bachelor’s degree program in political science at the Charles III University of Madrid.

Before that begins, the future monarch has also made sure to take time for some fun summer activities. Last month, she and Princess Sofía were spotted dancing in a VIP box at Bad Bunny’s Debí Tirar Más Fotos World Tour performance at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano in Madrid.

“[They were] having the time of their lives,” said journalist Javi Hoyos, who posted a clip of the princesses in a video shared on TikTok. “I love seeing them like regular people. These images are great because they remind us they’re human, they’re young women enjoying themselves.”

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