Spanish · Alella, Spain · Born 22 July 1998Spanish left-back who won Euro 2024 with Spain and established himself as one of Europe's most promising defensive talents at Chelsea.
Marc Cucurella Saseta was born on 22 July 1998 in Alella, a small coastal town near Barcelona, Spain, the eldest of three children of Óscar and Patricia Cucurella. His parents enrolled him in futsal as a boy to build his technical foundation, and he progressed through Espanyol's youth system before joining Barcelona's famed La Masia academy at 14. Cucurella made a single first-team appearance for Barcelona in a 2017-18 Copa del Rey tie, but with Jordi Alba established at left-back, opportunities were scarce, and loan spells at Eibar and Getafe helped his development instead. He moved to Getafe permanently before Brighton & Hove Albion signed him in 2021, quickly establishing himself as one of the Premier League's most exciting attacking full-backs. Chelsea signed Cucurella in 2022, and he spent four seasons in London, becoming known for his distinctive long hair as much as his combative, high-energy style on the left flank. He moved to Real Madrid in the summer of 2026 in a deal reported at around €55 million, becoming one of new manager José Mourinho's first signings during his second spell at the club. Cucurella has represented Spain since 2021, and was a key squad member as Spain won the 2026 World Cup, cementing his status as one of the most recognisable and popular full-backs in the modern game.
Key player in Spain's Euro 2024 victory
How They Played
Attacking left-back with pace, crossing ability and defensive versatility
Career Honours
- Euro (Spain 2024)
- Premier League (2021 Brighton)
- Champions League (2021 squad)
- Euro 2024
| Club | Period | Fee | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barcelona B | 2016–2018 | — | 48 | 1 |
| Barcelona | 2017–2020 | — | 0 | 0 |
| Eibar | 2018–2019 | loan | 31 | 1 |
| Getafe | 2019–2020 | loan | 37 | 1 |
| Getafe | 2020–2021 | — | 38 | 3 |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 2021–2022 | £15m | 35 | 1 |
| Chelsea | 2022–2026 | £62m | 115 | 6 |
| Real Madrid | 2026–Present | — | 0 | 0 |
 Spain | — | — | 27 | 1 |
Spanish Athletes