Revealed: The bizarre 'secret' ritual that Marc Cucurella did before the World Cup final against Argentina after request from a Spain legend

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Marc Cucurella was amongst the standout players of the World Cup, hardly putting a foot wrong as Spain put together seven consecutive wins after their goalless draw with Cabo Verde, conceding just one goal in the process. He embarked on an unusual ritual before the game, which you can watch below.

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Video credit: SNTV

The left-back, who earned a move from Chelsea to Real Madrid before the World Cup, was a key cog in Luis de la Fuente's well-oiled machine.

Cucurella effectively contained Lionel Messi in Sunday's final, ensuring the area of the pitch that has so often been exploited by the Argentina great was cut off.

The 27-year-old, having been part of the Euro 2024-winning team two years ago, is now the second Spain starting left-back to have a World Cup winners' medal.

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The first, Joan Capdevila, who was part of the exceptional Spain squad that won the 2010 World Cup, took to social media to celebrate Cucurella's achievement, and draw attention to a "secret" that had occurred prior to the final.

"AND NOW I'LL TELL YOU A SECRET..." Capdevila wrote on X.

"In 2010, I buried a coin in the grass before the match started... I've told this story a million times. I asked @cucurella3 to do the same yesterday... Marc, I love you so much. YOU'RE A WORLD CHAMPION!"

The former Spain international posted a video below the caption, which showed Cucurella walking to the side of the pitch before kick-off and placing the coin in question beneath the turf.

What the significance of the coin in question was is not clear, but both Capdevila and Cucurella clearly believed it brought good luck.

The outcome of the 2026 final was eerily similar to 2010. In New Jersey, Ferran Torres' extra-time goal was enough to seal victory for Spain, 16 years after Andres Iniesta netted in the 116th minute in Johannesburg against Netherlands.

Cucurella looks set to go all out in the celebrations in the weeks before he plays his first match for Real Madrid, claiming that he will get a tattoo of Spain manager De la Fuente's face.

Asked where on his body the tattoo will be, he said: "I don't know. I haven't decided yet. I need to think about it, I need to think about where to get it.

"People will ask me about it too, so it has to be somewhere visible.

"But anyway, we've got a long journey ahead of us now. I hope people will give me some ideas. I'll think it over and then it will be time to get it done."

Cucurella, who bizarrely appeared to walk through the mixed zone with the World Cup trophy in a plastic bag, also discussed how vital his team's watertight defense had been to success.

"When you don't concede, I think it's much easier to win," he said.

"We've done an incredible job in that regard all tournament, and not just the defenders and the goalkeeper, because I think it's a team effort.

"Ultimately, it's about everyone making sacrifices. We attack together and defend together. That's one of the keys to this team.

"Now it's time to celebrate. We came here with a goal, spent 50 days, or nearly 50, in camp, and now it's time to be together, enjoy every moment, reminisce, and above all, switch off.

"I think we deserve a good party."

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