"We had our worst months... we go back home every day, crying, every day." That's Claudia Rodríguez, Marc Cucurella's long-term partner, on the period before their eldest son Mateo was diagnosed with autism. It's a side of the Chelsea — now Real Madrid — left-back that rarely makes the back pages, but it says a lot about what drives him.
Cucurella and Rodríguez have been together since 2018 and have three children: Mateo, Rio, and Bella, their only daughter, born in February 2023. The couple have spoken openly about shaping their entire routine around Mateo's needs — therapies, structure, consistency. Not exactly the glamorous footballer lifestyle, but clearly the one Cucurella has chosen without hesitation.
From Chelsea to the Bernabéu
On the pitch, things are shifting fast. After four years at Stamford Bridge — where he became a reliable presence under Enzo Maresca — Cucurella has made the move to Real Madrid. That's a significant step up in expectation, profile, and scrutiny. Whether he can hold down a starting spot at the Bernabéu remains the real question. Madrid don't do rotation quietly.
The timing matters for Spain too. Luis de la Fuente's side open their 2026 World Cup campaign against Cabo Verde, and Cucurella is in the frame for a meaningful role at left-back. Spain are among the favourites alongside France, and after being knocked out in the Round of 16 at the last World Cup, De la Fuente's squad knows there's unfinished business.
Lamine Yamal and Rodri will generate the headlines. But a settled, defensively disciplined left side could be what separates Spain from a deep run and another early exit. Spain's tournament odds look strong — and if Cucurella carries his club form into the group stages, there's a case he becomes one of the quietly important pieces of the puzzle.
Roots and background
Cucurella was born into a Catalan family — his full name, Marc Cucurella Saseta, follows Spanish naming conventions combining both his father's and mother's surnames. His father Óscar worked as a salesman and played amateur football, and by most accounts was central to Marc's early development as a player. Marc is the eldest of three siblings.
The family story off the pitch is one of quiet resilience. Claudia's words about those difficult months before Mateo's diagnosis aren't the kind of thing footballers typically share. That they did says something.
