Marc Cucurella has delivered on a bizarre World Cup promise, getting a tattoo of Spain coach Luis de la Fuente after helping his country lift the trophy.
The Spain defender, who played every minute of their World Cup campaign, revealed the ink on social media alongside the caption: "Promise kept." The tattoo depicts De la Fuente holding the World Cup in front of the number 26.
“Marc Cucurella kept his World Cup promise by tattooing coach Luis de la Fuente after Spain beat Argentina.”
Cucurella was a key figure in Spain's march to glory, which culminated in a 1-0 victory over Argentina in the final. Just a month earlier, he had joined Real Madrid from Chelsea for £52m.
After the final, De la Fuente joked that he expected his player to stick to his word. "I've already told them, 'did you make a mistake?" he said in his post-match news conference. "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."
Cucurella, known for his trademark long, curly hair (which he says helps his child keep track of him during matches), also carried his wife's pyjama top as a lucky charm throughout the tournament. The tattoo is the latest in a series of quirks that have endeared him to fans.
The image of De la Fuente, captured lifting the trophy, is now permanently etched on Cucurella's body—a reminder of a promise made and kept.