The King's name 'Felipe' and the number 'VI' in Roman numerals were printed on the back of the Spain’s shirt. Legendary midfielder Andres Iniesta wears the No. 6 shirt for Spain.

"I did not want to miss the opportunity to embrace you, say hello and cheer for you before you leave for Russia... Do what you know how to do best, do it with desire, with enthusiasm. All this time - I hope, until July 15 - the heart of the country will be behind your backs," the king said.

Felipe VI added that, aside from tens of millions of Spaniards, many fans from other countries would support Spain. He mentioned there were no weak teams at the World Cup, but "everyone is wary of facing Spain."

Defender and captain Sergio Ramos thanked King Filipe VI for his support, and said that the team is very "competitive", adding that "we just have to prove it and to come back with the trophy".

"Many things can happen in football, but we will do our best," Ramos said.

Ramos handed the King a captain's armband, and Iniesta presented a football with the players' signatures.

The farewell ceremony took place at the Spanish Football Association's headquarters just outside Madrid, where Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said farewell to the national team earlier this week.

The Spanish team has headed to the Russian city of Krasnodar, where their Team Base Camp is located.

The 2010 World Cup champions Spain will face Portugal, Morocco and Iran in Group B at the tournament.

Russia will host its first World Cup from June 14 to July 15. The fixtures will be played at 12 stadiums across 11 cities.