MADRID, Spain _ Tens of thousands of jubilant Spaniards screamed and waved banners to welcome home their basketball world champions on Monday night.

Television reports estimated the crowd at about 50,000 filling Plaza de Castilla in central Madrid. The festivities were marred somewhat by an office building fire a kilometer (half-mile) away, but officials said the blaze did not endanger any of the revelers.

The red-clad Spanish team arrived in the middle of the city atop an open air double-decker bus and waved to the multitude, which held Spanish flags and banners with expressions like "gracias" (thank you).

Spain beat Greece 70-47 in Sunday's final in Japan, even though it played without injured center Pau Gasol. He limped across a stage set up for Monday night's ceremony as the team held up its trophy to rapturous applause on a hot night in Madrid.

Loudspeakers blared the Queen song "We are the champions." The team stood across the stage and waved in unison.

Newspaper headlines trumpeted the win, proclaiming "Spain, queen of the world," and "Spain, bathed in gold."