For decades, the booming thud of a bass drum has been as inseparable from Spain's football support as La Roja themselves. That sound — and the spirit behind it — is very much alive at the FIFA World Cup 2026, kept thundering by Juan Macià, a devoted fan from Elche who inherited the most celebrated drum in world football.

The man behind the drum

The tradition belongs first to the late Manolo Cáceres, beloved across the globe as Manolo el del Bombo. Wearing his signature Basque beret and a No. 12 Spain shirt — a tribute to supporters as the team's 12th player — Cáceres hauled his enormous drum across stadiums the world over for four decades. His journey as Spain's most devoted cheerleader began at a qualifier in Cyprus in 1979, and he never stopped beating the drum, attending 10 FIFA World Cups and eight UEFA European Championships, including La Roja's historic triumph at the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa.

Cáceres was unable to travel to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 due to logistical difficulties, and in May of the following year, he passed away at the age of 76 after a period of ill health. His extraordinary contribution to football fandom was recognised posthumously when he was shortlisted for the FIFA Fan Award at The Best FIFA Football Awards 2025.

A friendship forged in rhythm

Long before that loss, Cáceres had already found his successor — even if neither man framed it that way at the time. Macià, a drummer at his beloved Elche's home matches, first crossed paths with Cáceres at the Estadio Martínez Valero when the legendary fan arrived without his drum. Cáceres asked to borrow Macià's instrument, and the two struck up a lasting friendship.