Fresh off lifting the 2026 FIFA World Cup trophy with the Spanish national side, defender Marc Cucurella has made good on a pre-victory pledge, permanently honoring his winning head coach with a custom tattoo.
Cucurella was a key contributor to Spain’s historic 1-0 final win over Argentina earlier this month, playing every single minute of the team’s entire World Cup campaign. The 28-year-old, who completed a high-profile £52 million transfer from Chelsea to Real Madrid back in June, took to social media to unveil his new ink: a detailed portrait of Luis de la Fuente, the manager who led Spain to their World Cup triumph, holding the iconic golden trophy, set against a background emblazoned with the number 26 to mark this year’s tournament.
Alongside photos and behind-the-scenes video of the tattoo sitting process, Cucurella simply posted: “Promise kept.”
The lighthearted agreement between player and coach came to light after the final whistle of the World Cup final, when De la Fuente addressed the promise with reporters during his post-match press conference. Joking about the commitment, the manager said: “I’ve already told them, ‘did you make a mistake? They did, but they’ll enjoy it. I’m not so terribly ugly that they will need to put it somewhere nobody can see it. But it makes me laugh and I am proud they keep their promises.”‘
This is not the first quirky personal detail that has drawn attention to Cucurella during the World Cup run. The defender previously revealed he carried his wife’s pyjama top with him throughout the tournament as a good luck charm, and explained that his signature long curly hair is styled that way specifically so his young child can spot him easily in the crowd during matches.