Cucurella drops Bombshell: “If we win the World Cup, I’II retire from Spain the next day”

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With just two days remaining before Spain’s blockbuster World Cup final against Argentina, left-back Marc Cucurella has sent shockwaves through the football world with a stunning revelation: if La Roja lift the trophy on Sunday, he will call manager Luis de la Fuente the very next day and retire from international football for good.

“If Spain win the World Cup, I’ll call Luis de la Fuente the next day and tell him not to count on me anymore—that I’ll retire from the national team right there and then,” Cucurella said in an interview with Spanish network Movistar. “With the Euro and World Cup trophies, you can’t ask for more”.

A Career Already Defined by Glory

At just 27 years old — he turns 28 on Wednesday — Cucurella has already achieved more than most players dream of in a lifetime. The Chelsea-turned-Real Madrid defender was a key figure in Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph, where he assisted the winning goal in the final. He also claimed a silver medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and has earned 31 caps for his country since his debut in 2021, scoring one goal and providing five assists.

But for Cucurella, the ultimate achievement would be completing the European Championship-World Cup double — a feat Spain’s golden generation accomplished between 2008 and 2010.

“I believe that after winning both the European Championship and the World Cup, there’s nothing more you can ask for,” he explained.

More Than Just a Retirement Promise

This is not the first bold pledge Cucurella has made ahead of the final. The flamboyant left-back had already joked that he would get de la Fuente’s face tattooed if Spain won the World Cup. Now he has gone a step further.

Spanish broadcasters reacted to his comments with a mix of concern and humor, posting: “Marc, we’re 90 minutes away, but we hope you were joking”.

Whether Cucurella’s words are sincere or playful remains to be seen. But his timing — just 48 hours before the biggest match of his career — has certainly added an extra layer of intrigue to an already blockbuster final.

The Iron Wall of Spain

If Cucurella does walk away, he would be leaving at the absolute peak of his powers. The left-back has been an ever-present figure in Spain’s campaign, playing every single minute of all seven matches en route to the final.

More remarkably, Spain’s defense — anchored by Cucurella — has conceded just one goal throughout the entire tournament and kept six clean sheets. In the semifinal against France, Cucurella was instrumental in neutralizing Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé and Michael Olise, preventing them from finding space to threaten Unai Simón’s goal.

A Final for the Ages

Spain face Argentina on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey in what is being billed as a generational showdown between Lionel Messi and Spain’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal. But for Cucurella, the stakes are personal.

If Spain prevail, his next phone call might be the one that ends his international career. If they don’t, the 27-year-old will almost certainly continue representing his country for years to come.

Either way, Cucurella has ensured that all eyes will be on him — not just for his defending, but for what comes after the final whistle.

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Spain and Argentina meet in the 2026 World Cup final on Sunday, July 19, at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Kickoff is at 9:00 PM ET.