Borja Iglesias might not have played the biggest role in Spain's World Cup win but he is the leading man in their celebrations which show no sign of slowing down. It's fair to say that nobody has enjoyed Spain's World Cup win more than Borja. He's been the DJ, the comedian and the tastemaker of Spain's party in Madrid.
Borja struck a chord with football supporters everywhere during the tournament because of the way he carries himself off the pitch as much as what he did on it. He continued to speak out on social issues throughout the competition, even criticising FIFA on the day of the final by sharing an image of tickets being sold for tens of thousands of pounds. He also joked that he would only shake hands with a certain politician “to avoid arrest”.
He carried a disposable camera with him throughout the tournament, documenting the 2026 World Cup in a way that felt more spontaneous than the carefully edited images we often see on social media. His feed became a kind of modern-day nostalgia catalogue, capturing life on the ground in America through dive bars, pool halls, fairgrounds and football stadiums. It felt like a window into the way we now remember the 1994 World Cup.
There was also his bromance with Javier Bardem, who attended every Spain game wearing Borja’s shirt. He wasn’t the star of the squad, but he seemed to breathe energy into the stadium and into his teammates. It was the kind of contribution that is difficult to measure but felt by everyone.
Borja’s contribution on the pitch came late against Portugal, as Spain held on to defend the lead that would propel them into the quarter-finals. There’s no doubt his celebrations are merited. Coming off a career-best season with Celta Vigo and now aged 33, Borja knows this might be his one and only World Cup.
And while he still has some way to go to reach Jack Grealish’s levels of drunkenness after Manchester City won the treble a few years ago, he’s giving it his best shot.
Of course, we know Borja well. He's an avid shirt collector and has already started uploading his matchworn collection onto the Showboat app. You can see it at the top of the homepage in the spotlight section. Once the hangover wears off, he'll be uploading the rest. We're told there's one or two beauties on the way from the 2026 World Cup. Until then, enjoy the beers Borja.
And if you want to search vintage Spain shirts you can do so in the marketplace section of the Showboat app or here.
