Luis de la Fuente expects Marc Cucurella to be a man of his word and get the Spain manager’s face tattooed on his body after securing World Cup glory.
De la Fuente’s side eventually overcame Argentina in a one-sided final as Ferran Torres struck the winner in extra time to secure a second tournament crown for the nation.
Their success continues a golden period for Spanish football, with the men already the reigning European champions and Spain also the holders of the Women’s World Cup.
Ahead of the tournament, full-back Cucurella had vowed to get a tattoo of De La Fuente’s face if they lifted the trophy.
And the manager fully expects the Real Madrid-bound defender to end up with new ink after Spain’s success in the final.
“They made a mistake, but they are men of their word, and they will stick to their word — I am not too ugly, they will just need to find a part of their body which is not too visible,” De la Fuente chuckled, suggesting others had made a similar promise. “If you say something you need to stick to your word.”
There is a degree of precedent for the gesture – Irish rugby player Mack Hansen was branded with the image of his coach Andy Farrell after winning the 2023 Six Nations.
The relatively unheralded De la Fuente has restored Spain to a world-leading force since taking over in 2022, bringing through a new generation of talent having previously worked within the nation’s pathways and age-grade sides.
The 65-year-old manager felt that putting the collective over the individual was a key to the team’s success.
“We’re where we want to be, we’re privileged to represent our country with a wonderful national team, with exceptional players,” De la Fuente explained. “I believe the real success relies on having the right travel companions. The people with values and principles.
“The only merit we have is seeking out good people who put the collective good ahead of the individual.”
