Marc Cucurella was seen performing an unusual pre-match ritual ahead of Spain’s 2026 FIFA World Cup final against Argentina, and it has now emerged that the act was part of a 16-year-old superstition handed down by one of Spain’s previous World Cup winners.Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 after extra time at the New York New Jersey Stadium to lift the men’s World Cup for the second time in their history, with substitute Ferran Torres scoring the decisive goal in the 106th minute.While much of the attention after the final was focused on Spain’s triumph and Argentina’s late collapse, footage captured shortly before kick-off revealed Cucurella calmly walking towards the touchline, removing an object from his sock and burying it under the turf.
the “secret” lucky coin tradition
At first, no one knew what the Spanish defender had hidden in the grass.The mystery was solved after the final by former Spain defender Joan Capdevila, who revealed that the object was a coin and that he had personally asked Cucurella to continue a superstition dating back to Spain’s first World Cup triumph in 2010.Capdevila, who started at full-back when Spain defeated the Netherlands in the 2010 World Cup final in Johannesburg, explained that he had buried a coin on the pitch before that match and encouraged Cucurella to repeat the ritual before facing Argentina.Writing on X, Capdevila said: “And now I’ll tell you a secret… In 2010, I buried a coin in the grass before starting the match… I’ve told it a million times.“I asked @cucurella3 to do the same yesterday…“Marc, I love you so much. YOU ARE A WORLD CHAMPION!”He also shared the video that shows Cucurella discreetly checking that no one was watching before placing the coin on the turf and covering it with grass moments before kick-off.
Spain’s lucky spell ends with another World Cup
Whether it was coincidence or superstition, the ritual seemed to work once.Spain controlled most of the final against defending champions Argentina before finally finding the breakthrough in extra time.Ferran Torres struck in the 106th minute after being set up by Nico Williams, giving Luis de la Fuente’s side a hard-fought 1-0 win and securing Spain’s second World Cup title, exactly 16 years after their first.Cucurella was once again a key figure throughout the tournament, capping another successful international campaign after helping Spain win the European Championship two years earlier.Argentina’s hopes of forcing penalties had already suffered a major blow when Enzo Fernández was sent off in stoppage time after receiving a second yellow card for a reckless challenge on Pau Cubarsí. Tempers then flared after the final whistle, with Leandro Paredes also being sent off after an altercation involving several Spain players.
Capdevila’s world tour almost ended before it began
The story had added significance as Capdevila himself almost missed the final.Earlier this week, the 2010 World Cup winner revealed that his Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) application to enter the United States had been denied, due to a previous exhibition match he had played in Iran.Capdevila made a public appeal to US President Donald Trump on social media, writing: “I need help @realDonaldTrump!”“They just told me that I cannot travel to the end with my children because my ESTA was denied.“Can anyone help me with this? You have no idea how excited I was to be here with all my 2010 teammates and this team to cheer him on.“I can’t believe that they won’t let me in the United States … and that I will miss such a moment with my children who love football so much.”According to ESPN, US Customs and Border Protection later confirmed to The Associated Press that it had received an inquiry regarding Capdevila’s case and later allowed him to enter the country.The former Villarreal defender arrived in New Jersey in time for the final and watched Spain lift the World Cup from the stands.After the victory, he celebrated the triumph of Spain and his own successful journey posting: “HOW NOT WORTH IT… I deserved to be here with my family enjoying this moment, and justice was served. Thank you to all those who pushed to make it possible, thank you all from the bottom of my heart.”For Capdevila, the coin buried under the grass had already brought Spain’s luck once in 2010. Sixteen years later, after Cucurella repeated the same quiet ritual before kick-off, he ended up with another World Cup trophy returning to Spain.