The sensors of the Educational Seismic Network in Santa Coloma de Gramenet detected the vibrations of the goal shout for Ferran Torres in the World Cup final, which Spain won against Argentina.
The National Geographic Institute (IGN) and the Geological and Cartographic Institute of Catalonia (ICGC) confirmed on Monday that the seismometers in Santa Coloma de Gramenet were among those that vibrated the most during Ferran Torres' goal in the World Cup final. The celebrations in homes and bars across the city translated into movement peaks that were recorded by the sensors of the Educational Seismic Network of GEO3BCN-CSIC.
The goal that shook the ground
The data processed by researcher Jordi Díaz from Geosciences Barcelona reveals that the first major peak occurred in the 33rd minute when Ferran Torres scored against the Argentine goalkeeper. A second tremor, of lesser intensity, coincided with a disallowed goal by VAR that briefly interrupted the contained joy.
The third and largest seismic movement came with the final whistle, when all of Spain erupted in jubilation. In Santa Coloma, the sensors detected a particularly clear oscillation, according to the CSIC statement. The celebration was not only felt in the streets but was also recorded by the measuring devices.
The 2010 champions together in New Jersey
The epicentre of the shout was not in Spain, but at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. There, around twenty former players of the Spanish national team, including Iker Casillas, Xavi Hernández, Andrés Iniesta, Carles Puyol, David Villa, Sergio Ramos, and Jesús Navas, watched the final together from a box. Cameras captured them hugging and jumping with Torres' goal.
For many fans in Santa Coloma, seeing those 2010 world champions celebrating like one of them was an emotional bonus. “They were our idols and were as nervous as we were,” commented a local resident in the town hall square after the match. The connection between that generation and the current one was palpable in every shout.
The science behind the euphoria
This phenomenon is not new. During the semifinals against France, the seismometers in Sabadell recorded similar vibrations. This time, the Educational Seismic Network of GEO3BCN-CSIC, which has sensors in Mollet del Vallès, Santa Coloma de Gramenet, Barcelona, Banyoles, Olot, and Torroella de Montgrí, provided an exact picture of the intensity of the celebration.
Researcher Jordi Díaz explained that the movement peaks correspond to moments of maximum collective tension. “People jump, shout, and move in unison, and that generates a vibration that our sensors capture perfectly,” he noted in the statement. In Santa Coloma, the most striking data was the duration of the tremor after the final whistle: almost 30 seconds of continuous agitation.
For the locals, this news has been a source of pride. That their city appears on seismic maps for something as human as celebrating a goal is, according to some, “the best way to make the newspapers.” The Santa Coloma City Council has already announced that it will place a commemorative plaque at the exact point where the sensor recorded the highest vibration.
The next challenge for the Spanish national team will be the Euros, and seismologists are already warning: if there is another decisive goal, the sensors in Santa Coloma will shake again. And this time, perhaps, with more intensity.
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