Spain defender Marc Cucurella has revealed a tattoo of his national team coach, Luis de la Fuente, holding the World Cup trophy — the fulfilment of a promise made during Spain's triumphant tournament campaign.

The tattoo, a portrait of de la Fuente lifting the trophy in front of the number 26, was unveiled on Instagram with a two-word caption: "Promise kept" (BBC Sport).

Spain beat Argentina 1-0 in the World Cup final. Cucurella, who joined Real Madrid from Chelsea for £52 million in June, played his part across the tournament — and clearly took his coach's cheeky reminders seriously. After the final, de la Fuente publicly said he expected Cucurella to follow through on the tattoo pledge (BBC Sport). On 20 July, Reuters reported the coach was still nudging: "It's tattoo time," de la Fuente told the defender (Reuters). By 28 July, Reuters confirmed the ink was done (Reuters).

Cucurella had been building toward the reveal. A day earlier, he posted on Instagram that he still needed to figure out where on his body the tattoo would go (Instagram). The finished product suggests he found his spot.

The man himself is becoming one of football's most recognisable characters. Cucurella keeps his hair long and curly so his child can pick him out easily during matches. During the World Cup he carried his wife's pyjama top as a lucky charm (BBC Sport). Now he has permanently stamped his manager's face onto his skin.

What makes this land for fans is the warmth of it. Football produces no shortage of manufactured drama, but this is simply a player who believed in his team, made a joyful promise, and then kept it. The number 26 on the tattoo is Cucurella's shirt number for Spain — a personal touch that turns a coach's portrait into something more intimate, a record of a shared achievement neither of them will forget.

For a defender who just weeks ago completed a high-profile move to Real Madrid, the summer of 2026 is already one he will carry with him. Quite literally.