Marc Cucurella has hit back at the ‘unnecessary’ and ‘disrespectful’ comments Gary Neville made about him before Spain got their Euro 2024 campaign underway against Croatia.
The 25-year-old had a fantastic tournament with Spain, starting every game save one that led his team to the final match against England on Sunday.
It follows a difficult season for Cucurella at the club level with Chelsea, when the full-back received harsh criticism for his performances during a season without a trophy at Stamford Bridge.
Cucurella was an unexpected choice for many Premier League supporters when Luis de la Fuente announced his starting lineup for Spain’s opening tournament game against Croatia in Group B.
Neville, a former right-back for Manchester United and England, even went so far as to say that Cucurella’s inclusion demonstrated that there was a “missing” component in the Spanish team.
‘We didn’t think he’d play,’ Neville said in the ITV Sport studio before Spain’s 3-0 win over Croatia.
‘He’s not been convincing at Chelsea, he’s played a few games towards the end of the season, he’s aggressive, he’s tenacious, he’s a busy little full-back.
‘That price tag [£55million] still, to be fair, astounds everybody I think to this day.
‘The Spanish defence has got a lot of experience now but there’s something just missing from Spain that makes you feel like they’re going to go all the way.
‘And I have to say, him [Cucurella] being at left-back probably is another example of why we think that.’
Cucurella then made an impressive display against Croatia, ensuring that Spain left Berlin with a clean sheet.
In the second half, he produced an incredible goal-saving stop to deny Josip Stanisic. Cucurella, who is anticipated to play for De la Fuente against England this coming weekend, was questioned over Neville’s critical remarks in the lead-up to the game.
“It is very common in England,” he said to the Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo.
‘They [pundits] have been players and have had those experiences. I don’t think it is necessary to be disrespectful just to get views or for people to know him or continue to hear his name.
‘These things happen, I think we have one last step left and hopefully we can lift that cup.
‘Then it will be our turn to speak.’
Cucurella was the target of loud boos and jeers during Spain’s semi-final win over France in Munich – leaving many viewers confused.
It soon emerged that the culprits were not French supporters, rather German fans voicing their anger and frustration after Cucurella escaped punishment over a handball shout in their quarter-final defeat.
Cucurella replied, “At first, yes, a little, because I didn’t really understand it,” when asked if the jeers had surprised him.
However, I soon noticed that a large number of individuals were dressed in white, and I knew why.
Instead than paying money to be at the European Championship semi-finals and then jeering, they might have donated the ticket to someone who would have enjoyed the game.
“What matters is that we are in the championship game and those who were bored or angry are watching it at home.”