Cucurella: The penguin celebration is now very important to my wife and kids

According to Il Romanista, Cucurella has become one of the iconic figures in European football after winning the 2026 FIFA World Cup with Spain. He gained popularity for his penguin-like goal celebration, which has a family story behind it.

Marc Cucurella and the meaning of the “penguin celebration”

Anyone who follows Cucurella knows about this special celebration. After each goal, the full-back spreads his arms and waddles like a penguin. However, there is a deeper meaning behind this image.

Cucurella himself explained the origin of this gesture. One day, he read that penguins choose a mate for life. This detail touched him, and he sent the article to his wife, Claudia Rodriguez, jokingly saying that if he ever scored a goal, he would dedicate this celebration to her.

“I saw an article that said penguins stay with the same partner for life. I sent it to my wife and told her that if I scored, I would do the penguin celebration,” he recalled. What started as a joke later became a habit. As time went on, he scored more goals, and the symbolic meaning of this celebration grew stronger. Now, his son Leo and daughter Bella are also part of this gesture; every time they see their father score at home, they imitate him.

“It started as a joke, but now it's very important to my wife and children. I have many videos of them doing the penguin celebration. This celebration is dedicated to them; they have always been by my side, especially during difficult times,” he explained.

Cucurella's son with autism

Behind this player, who constantly runs along the sidelines, is a father who has openly spoken about the most difficult challenges in his life. Cucurella has often talked about his son's autism, stating that the experience completely changed his outlook on the world. The initial signs appeared when his child started kindergarten. The family noticed that he preferred to be alone more than other children his age and had more difficulty with language development. “That was probably the hardest time. Seeing your child suffer is one of the hardest things in life,” he admitted. Since then, the player decided to use his fame to advocate for autism awareness and help families facing similar situations.

“I am happy that this exposure can help more people and promote the establishment of more support centers. This experience taught me to put things into perspective and understand what the true priorities in life are.”

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