He arrived at the training camp without making any noise and now he is one of the most popular players in Spain…
I’m happy because in the end people talking about you and talking about good things is always welcome. It’s been a bit of a difficult season on a personal level, but I’ve arrived in good shape and now I’m trying to help the team.
Did the match against Italy change your career or is that an exaggeration?
It was one of the best games I’ve played so far. I’m very happy that I had such a good game, that I contributed to the team and that I won, which is the most important thing.
UEFA posted on social media that you were in ‘Puyol mode’, can you compare them?
No, I’m not going to compare myself to him. I like him, Puyol was a great player and a reference, I really liked his intensity and what he brought to the team. All these comparisons are good, respecting the distances, because he is a legend. I hope that one day I can have something similar in terms of career with him.
Do you like the fact that people talk so much about your hair or does it bother you?
I don’t care, these are normal things, there are also a lot of memes out there… anything that is said and is positive to make us laugh is good because it helps us disconnect a little.
Cucurella is one of the happiest players in Spain / Pablo García / RFEF
Have you always had curly hair?
Since I was little. My mother liked it like this, I grew up with this hair and it has stayed that way.
Isn’t it uncomfortable to play?
No, not really, I’ve gotten used to it. If you give someone else long hair now, it might bother them, but it doesn’t bother me anymore.
Maybe it will also serve to scare the forwards?
It all adds up (smiles), if I cut my hair now, it wouldn’t be the same
Everyone asks him the same thing: what will he do with his hair if Spain wins the Euro Cup?
I have few options, I’ll dye it red and I think I’ll stick with that one.
Will your wife accept it?
I don’t know if he’ll accept it, but he’ll have to put up with it. (Smiles)
“They want me to do the Tik Tok dance if I dial”
By the way, how do you get along with all the ‘kids’ on the team?
We have a good group, a mix of young and old. There is something for everyone. The younger ones are quite cheerful, and with their innocence and the things they do they help you to unwind and have a nice time.
Have you joined the Tik Tok trend?
No, when my wife sends me on a trip with someone, I do it, but it hasn’t happened to me here.
Will he dance if he scores a goal?
I have some suggestions, they want me to do the Tik Tok dance, for example, but I don’t know, I have to think about it, first I have to mark and then I’ll do what comes out.
Cucurella, on a trip to Spain with Nico Williams / Pablo García / RFEF
What is it like sharing the left wing with Nico Williams?
He is a great player, he is bringing out all his potential, it is a source of pride that he is on our team, that he is our teammate and with players like him everything is easier.
Do you think he is ready to sign for Barça?
It would be a great signing, but it all depends on his opinion. I’m pushing him to sign for Chelsea. In the end it all depends on him. He’s very young, with a lot of experience, and I think he’ll be a great player.
Lamine, another footballer show, and you have to stop him in many training sessions!
He’s incredible for his age, how he moves, the decisions he makes… the best thing about him is that he never repeats the same play, he keeps changing. For me and for any defense, it’s very difficult to stop him.
Do Lamine and Nico need a lot of advice?
No, the good thing about them is that they do their own thing. They don’t seem to care about anything, they play the game as if it were a training session or with friends. That makes them different, to play with this self-confidence and joy that people like. On top of that, if they play on your team, you enjoy them.
“We played very well in one-on-one matches like the one against Germany”
Is there less pressure on you against Germany or does it weigh on you that you are considered favourites?
We don’t care, it will be a difficult match, they are the hosts, with a lot of people cheering, but we know what we have to do. We have done well so far. If we are at our best, we have a good chance of going through.
You will have to mark Wirtz or Sané, what a mess…
It will be a very open match, which can be decided by small details. We play these one-on-one matches very well. We played two good matches against important rivals like Croatia and Italy and we must correct what we failed at, improve because it will be a demanding match and hopefully we will win.
“Marc Guiu? Having patience in a club does not guarantee you anything”
What do you think of Marc Guiu’s signing for Chelsea? Have you spoken to him?
We spoke and I told him that if he needed anything, he should let me know. I’m happy because he’s a great player, very young, with a very promising future and we’re going to take care of him so that he can play his best football.
Don’t you find it strange that a player who is making his debut in Barça’s first team at the age of 17 doesn’t have the patience to continue?
It’s complicated. All footballers want to play. Some have held out, been patient and have not had the opportunity. Football is difficult, nobody guarantees you anything, you have to take advantage of your opportunities and think about your future.
Cucurella, in training with Ferran Torres and Pedri / Pablo García / RFEF
You made your debut with the Barça first team in the Cup in Murcia, you waited and it seems you chose the right moment to leave.
I am grateful to Barça, but if I had stayed the same I wouldn’t have had the same career. I am very happy. When I was at Barça, I had very good players, I tried to aspire to everything and there was not the patience that there is now. These are things that happen, stages and everything happens for a reason.
Have you ever thought about what would happen to you if you were Hector Fort, Marc Guiu or Lamine today?
Maybe I would have had the opportunity now when I was between the first team and Barça B, but the level there was and how Barça was at the top of the world and won everything, it was very complicated. I don’t think about it any more, everyone chooses their path and things are not going badly for me.
What do you expect from Chelsea with Enzo Maresca in charge?
A good coach has come and we need a bit of patience, not to make so many changes, to be more calm. We finished the season very well, in Europe, and then we played a final and a semi-final. We didn’t win, but the year wasn’t bad. Hopefully we can build something good.
2024-07-03 18:01:36
#Euro #Cucurella #pushing #Nico #Williams #sign #Chelsea
