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SportsSpanish team's 'Matador Red' charter plane lands in Buenos Aires, angering Argentine fans
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According to Spanish newspaper El Mundo, a specially painted Iberia Airlines Airbus A350-941, the exclusive charter for the Spanish national team, landed at Buenos Aires' Ezeiza International Airport shortly after the Argentine national team returned from losing the World Cup final. The aircraft, registration EC-MYX, features a 'Matador Red' livery with large portraits of Spanish players Cucurella, Merino, Fabián, and Olmo, along with the slogan 'A team takes off, a nation soars.' The timing of the landing, just as Argentine players dejectedly returned from the final venue in New York, has sparked widespread outrage among Argentine fans on social media, who accuse Iberia of being 'extremely inconsiderate.' Spanish netizens have joked that the plane should be permanently assigned to the Madrid-Buenos Aires route. While the flight plan was set before the final result, the coincidence has been described as 'rubbing salt in the wound' for Argentines.
Source report
Hupu Football News | 6 minutes ago
Hupu July 23 — According to Spain's El Mundo, the pain of losing the World Cup final has not yet subsided for Argentines, who have now been dealt another blow. Just as the Argentine national team returned home defeated and the nation was in mourning, a specially painted aircraft from Spain's Iberia Airlines landed in Buenos Aires. This highly ironic coincidence has been dubbed by the media as "rubbing salt in the wounds" of Argentines.
"Matador Red" Lands in the Heart of Argentina
The controversial aircraft is Iberia's flagship model—the Airbus A350-941 (registration number EC-MYX). Unlike ordinary passenger planes, this aircraft is the "exclusive charter" of the Spanish national team, with its fuselage abandoning the traditional corporate white for a striking "Matador Red" paint job.
The fuselage features:
- The Spanish national team's emblem
- Large portraits of key players, including Cucurella, Merino, Fabián, and Olmo
- A bold slogan: "A team takes off, a nation soars"
According to data from flight tracking website Flightradar24, the aircraft operating flight IBE5105 took off from Madrid's Barajas Airport at 8:45 AM on Wednesday, crossed the Atlantic, flew over Brazil and Paraguay, and eventually landed at Buenos Aires' Ezeiza International Airport.
Ironically, shortly before this plane—brimming with "champion vibes"—landed, the Argentine national team players had just returned here from the New York final venue. They dejectedly stepped off their plane, still reeling from the loss of the title, only to face the arrival of their opponent's "champion plane" on their doorstep.
An Innocent Mistake or Deliberate Mockery?
Although from an aviation scheduling perspective, the flight plan for this aircraft was set long before the final result was known, the appearance of this "Trojan horse"-like plane on Argentine soil has still sparked a massive public outcry.
Spanish media El Mundo commented that this "coincidence" is undoubtedly a great offense to the proud Argentine fans. One can only imagine the feelings of Argentine ground crew directing this plane—emblazoned with images of their opponents' heroes—to land.
Currently, many Argentine fans on social media have expressed dissatisfaction, accusing Iberia of being "extremely inconsiderate" for sending this plane at such a sensitive time. Meanwhile, Spanish netizens have joked that this plane should be permanently stationed on the Madrid-Buenos Aires route, so Argentines can always remember who the current world champions are.
Source: Spain's El Mundo International Football News
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Spanish National Team's 'Matador Red' Plane Lands in Buenos Aires, Angering Argentine Fans