Marc Cucurella grew up in Alella near Barcelona and came through Barcelona’s academy. He played for Eibar and Getafe before moving to Brighton in 2021.
Chelsea signed him in 2022 for around £60 million. After a difficult start he became a regular, winning the Conference League and the Club World Cup in 2025.
Cucurella was a first-choice starter as Spain won Euro 2024. Real Madrid signed him in summer 2026.
Playing style
Cucurella is a tireless, combative left-back. He covers huge distances, is strong in the tackle and is comfortable on the ball, able to move into midfield when his team has possession. His distinctive curly hair made him instantly recognisable, but it is his work rate and consistency that have made him a key player for club and country. His early months at Chelsea were difficult, but he became one of their most reliable players, winning two trophies in 2025.
International career
Cucurella was a first-choice starter as Spain won Euro 2024, providing the assist for Mikel Oyarzabal’s winning goal in the final against England. He also won a silver medal with Spain at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and has remained a regular in the squad.
Career in numbers
Since his first senior season in 2017/18, Cucurella has made 328 club appearances and scored 16 goals in all competitions for 6 clubs. The 2024/25 season, with 7 goals from 54 matches for Chelsea, remains his highest tally. So far in 2026/27 he has made 8 appearances for Real Madrid. The full season-by-season record is in the Stats section of this profile.