Cucurella Actually Got Luis de la Fuente Tattoo on His Arm
Winning a World Cup comes with a medal, a place in football history and, apparently, a few promises you might regret making. Spain’s players made plenty of them on their way through the 2026 tournament, but Marc Cucurella went further than most. The defender promised that if Spain became world champions, he would get the face of Luis de la Fuente tattooed on his body. Spain beat Argentina 1-0 after extra time in the final. Nine days later, Cucurella was sitting in the tattoo chair.
A Promise Before the Trophy
The idea came up while Spain were still at the World Cup. Cucurella told Spanish radio that if the team went all the way, he would have De la Fuente’s face tattooed on him. At the time, he imagined something relatively small and had not decided where it would go.
It was already a step up from his celebration after EURO 2024. Back then, Cucurella followed through on another promise by colouring his famous curls red after Spain won the European Championship. This time, hair dye clearly was not enough.
Once Spain had actually won the World Cup, there was no escaping the new deal. Shortly after the final, Cucurella posted on Instagram asking whether there were any tattoo artists around. De la Fuente was enjoying it too, joking that Cucurella had made a mistake but reminding him that if you say something, you have to follow through.
He Actually Did It
Cucurella did not settle for a tiny portrait hidden somewhere either.
The finished tattoo sits on the back of his left upper arm and shows De la Fuente holding the World Cup, surrounded by a design marking Spain’s 2026 triumph. Cucurella had it done by tattoo artist Joaquín Ganga and revealed the finished piece on social media with a simple message: “Las promesas se cumplen”, promises are kept.
There was plenty to celebrate personally as well. Cucurella started all eight of Spain’s matches during their World Cup-winning run, helping a defence that recorded seven clean sheets. Two years after becoming a European champion, he had added the biggest trophy in football and made sure he would have a permanent reminder of the man who coached him to both.
Cucurella Was Not the Only One
The funny part is that Spain winning created quite a long to-do list. Álex Baena and Borja Iglesias also promised to tattoo De la Fuente’s face, with Baena specifically reserving a spot on his left leg, while David Raya promised a World Cup-related tattoo. Gavi has already followed through on his promise and dyed his hair pink, joining Cucurella among the players who have kept their word. Pedri still has to dye his hair white or blond, while Ferran Torres promised to shave his head completely. Lamine Yamal chose something slightly less permanent: keeping a beard and moustache for three weeks. Fabián Ruiz went even further by leaving his eventual challenge up to the fans.
Cucurella and Gavi, at least, can already cross their names off the list. Spain have their second star, De la Fuente has a World Cup, and the celebrations clearly are not finished yet.
Images in this article are sourced from publicly available social media and online platforms. If you are a rights holder and wish to request removal, please contact us.
Ready for more?
If you want to read more World Cup 2026 stories, check out our article on 5 players that retired after the World Cup.
From exclusive interviews to business moves and lifestyle beyond the pitch, explore more stories inside the Player’s Lounge.
Want to stay updated with Life After Football exclusive content, behind-the-scenes stories, and lifestyle from beyond the pitch? Subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Instagram!
