Cucurella discusses eldest son's autism, hopes to win World Cup

According to Sport, Cucurella is one of the focal figures of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hours before Spain's first match of the tournament, news broke of his transfer to Real Madrid, with Florentino Pérez seizing the opportunity to sign one of the world's best left-backs.

The player from Alella did not have a smooth path in football. To get a chance to play in the top league, he left Barcelona. After starting at Eibar, he performed excellently under Mendilibar, then transferred to Getafe, where he fully unleashed his potential and opened the door to the Premier League. Cucurella played for Brighton and Chelsea before joining Real Madrid.

Meanwhile, Cucurella started a family with content creator Claudia Rodríguez, and they have three children: Mateo, Río, and Bella. One of the most challenging times was when their son Mateo was diagnosed with Level 1 Autism Spectrum Disorder at the age of 3.

The former Chelsea player admitted in an interview with Spanish television: "My eldest son, in a way, changed all our lives." He also mentioned the moment they noticed something unusual: "When he started kindergarten, we began to see some differences. We noticed that in photos of children playing, he always seemed a bit lonely."

Cucurella said: "As he grew older, you noticed he didn't talk much, and he wasn't very fond of babbling. That period was probably the hardest. Watching your child suffer, I think that's one of the hardest things."

When speaking of his son, the new Real Madrid signing confessed that he sometimes found it difficult to open up because he didn't know how to help his child.

However, he also stated: "I am very happy that, thanks to the influence we have, this can resonate and help more families, allowing more schools or support centers to be established. I have also learned to value what is truly important and prioritize what matters most."

Mateo has not yet watched any FIFA World Cup matches from the stands, but he will not miss his father's chance to clinch the title at MetLife Stadium. There is no doubt that the three children will be Cucurella's good luck charms in the final.

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