Cucurella packs wife's pyjamas as lucky charm for Spain's World Cup campaign

Marc Cucurella is carrying an unusual talisman into Spain’s World Cup campaign: the pyjama top his wife wore during Euro 2024, which the Chelsea defender credits with helping him through a tournament that ended in glory in Berlin.

“I’ve got some key-rings that my children made for me,” Cucurella told Marca in an interview published on Saturday. “I’m also taking my wife’s pyjama top, which she wore when she was with me during the European Championship, and I’ve packed it in my suitcase again to see if it brings the same luck.”

The 27-year-old played a central role in Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph, most notably setting up Mikel Oyarzabal’s late winner against England in the final. His tournament was not without controversy — no penalty was awarded when the ball struck his hand in the box during extra time in the quarter-final against Germany, with Spain going on to score the winner in the 119th minute. They then beat France in the semi-finals before lifting the trophy.

Lucky charms are far from unusual in international football. Argentina’s Lionel Messi famously wears a red ribbon around his left ankle at World Cups, while Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo — appearing in a record sixth tournament — carries an old coin given to him by his grandfather.

Spain open their Group H campaign against Cape Verde in Atlanta on Monday, before facing Saudi Arabia and then Uruguay to close out the group stage. The squad is sweating on the fitness of Lamine Yamal ahead of that opener.

Spain’s only World Cup title came in 2010, when they beat the Netherlands after extra time in the final. The three tournaments since have brought early exits: a group-stage elimination in 2014, and round-of-16 defeats in both 2018 and 2022. Cucurella and his pyjamas will be hoping to help end that run.