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Marc Cucurella is having himself a tournament. The Chelsea left-back registered his first assist of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, adding another creative contribution to a defensive role that was never supposed to be this interesting to watch.
Cucurella, 27, has been one of Spain’s more consistent performers through the group stage, featuring in matches against Uruguay and Saudi Arabia while maintaining a clean defensive record and high passing accuracy.
From Euro 2024 hero to World Cup contributor
Cucurella was not always this central to Spain’s plans. His reputation shifted considerably at Euro 2024, where he assisted the winning goal in the final against England. That moment reframed how people thought about him, transforming him from a reliable squad player into someone capable of delivering when the stakes are highest.
He carried that form into World Cup qualifying, scoring his first senior international goal against Bulgaria in September 2025.
Spain named Cucurella in their 26-man squad for the 2026 tournament around May 25, 2026.
The 2026 World Cup is being hosted across North America. Spain arrived as one of the more technically sophisticated sides in the competition, and Cucurella fits that identity well.
Real Madrid watching, Chelsea holding
The assist has done nothing to quiet reports that Real Madrid have been monitoring Cucurella during this tournament. Chelsea, who currently hold his contract, will be familiar with this dynamic.
Spain’s broader ambitions at this tournament also matter. He entered the tournament with zero assists in his group-stage matches before this contribution, which means his creative output has arrived at a potentially pivotal moment in the competition’s schedule.
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