Monday 20 / July / 2026
New Jersey: Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said defender Marc Cucurella would have to keep his promise of getting the coach's face tattooed after La Roja defeated Argentina 1-0 after extra time to win the FIFA World Cup 2026 trophy on Sunday (local time).
The 27-year-old Cucurella had said before the title clash against Argentina that he would tattoo De la Fuente's face on his bicep if Spain lifted the trophy, and the coach was reminded of the pledge after guiding Spain to their second World Cup title.
"I am too old for tattoos but my players are men of their word and I know they will stick to their word," the 65-year-old De la Fuente told reporters after the final, as per Reuters.
"They made a mistake, and they will stick to it. I am not that ugly," he added.
Asked where he would like to see the tattoo, the Spain boss laughed before replying, "Maybe a part of the body where it is not visible. But when you say something, you have to stick to their word."
The light-hearted exchange capped a memorable evening for De la Fuente, who added the FIFA World Cup crown to the UEFA Euro 2024 title, further cementing his place among Spain's most successful national team coaches.
Spain needed extra time to overcome defending champions Argentina in a tense final at MetLife Stadium. Ferran Torres scored the decisive goal in the 106th minute after latching onto Nico Williams' knockdown and blasting the ball into the roof of the net.
The victory earned Spain a second World Cup title and extended their unbeaten international run to a European-record 38 matches.
The final was a cagey affair, with both sides struggling to create clear-cut opportunities. Spain dominated possession and came closest in normal time, but Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez repeatedly kept his side in the contest with a string of crucial saves.
The momentum shifted dramatically in stoppage time when Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez was sent off after receiving a second yellow card for a late challenge on Pau Cubarsi, leaving the holders to play extra time with 10 men.
Spain thought they had taken the lead early in extra time through Nico Williams, only for the effort to be ruled out for a foul in the build-up. Torres eventually broke Argentina's resistance moments later, sealing a famous victory for the European champions.
Before the final, Cucurella had promised a unique tribute if Spain defeated Argentina.
"I would get a little tattoo of Spain manager Luis de la Fuente's face on my bicep if we were to win the World Cup," he had said, according to Fox Sports.
The left-back has built a reputation for making headline-grabbing promises. Earlier in his career, the Barcelona academy graduate famously said he would rather shave his head than play for Real Madrid. However, after completing a move to the Spanish giants in June, he opted to keep his trademark long hair.
Whether he keeps his latest promise remains to be seen, but De la Fuente made it clear he expects his players to honour their word after delivering Spain's greatest triumph in more than a decade.
