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Sam Marsden, Barcelona correspondent
Spain defender Marc Cucurella has fulfilled his promise and dyed his hair red after winning the European Championship with his country last weekend.
Cucurella, 25, said he would colour his curls if Spain went all the way in Germany and on Friday posted his new look on social media.
The Chelsea full-back was one of the revelations of the tournament for Spain, starting six of their seven games and setting up the winning goal in the final against England.
His performances earned him a place in UEFA’s Euro 2024 Team of the Tournament, along with teammates Rodri, Fabián Ruiz, Dani Olmo, Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams.
Cucurella was not even expected to be in the Spain squad a year ago, but injuries to Jose Luis Gayà and Alejandro Balde opened the door to his inclusion.
He earned just his second cap — his first came in 2021 when the U21s filled in for the senior side due to a Covid-19 outbreak — in March’s friendly against Brazil and quickly nailed down his place in the starting lineup ahead of Bayer Leverkusen’s Alejandro Grimaldo.
After impressing in the group stage wins over Croatia and Italy, Cucurella emerged as a cult hero among Spain supporters, with many donning wigs symbolic of his distinctive long hair to matches in Germany.
That prompted him to promise to dye his hair red when asked what he would do if Spain were to win a fourth European title this summer.
His personality off the pitch also won him fans and he was at the centre of the Spanish national team’s celebrations in Madrid on Monday, singing a song about him which went viral during the finals.
“Cucu Cucu-rella, he eats paella,” he sung in front of the thousands of supporters gathered at Cibeles in the Spanish capital city.
“Cucu Cucu-rella, he drinks Estrella; Erling Haaland trembles, when he sees Cucurella. Cucurella’s coming, so eat a biscuit [galleta, rhymes with paella, Estrella, Cucurella].”
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