Marc Cucurella Reveals How He Signed for Chelsea FC
- Think Football Ideas
- Aug 6
- 3 min read
Marc Cucurella Details the Unusual Chain of Events That Led to His Move to Chelsea FC
When Marc Cucurella walked out at Stamford Bridge for the first time as a Chelsea player in 2022, few fans could have imagined that the journey leading him there had involved a car dealership, futsal games with grown men, and a near-missed flight to Ibiza.
But for the curly-haired full-back from Catalonia, every twist along the way carried its own purpose and some real drama.
From Car Sales to Academy Dreams
“My story is kind of strange,” Cucurella admitted in an interview with Chelseafc.com, reflecting on the serendipitous moment that sparked his footballing career.
Back in his hometown, a man wandered into his father’s car dealership looking to buy a vehicle. That ordinary day turned extraordinary when the conversation turned to football.
The customer happened to have a connection at Espanyol’s academy and suggested Cucurella’s father bring his football-obsessed son to a trial. From there, things began to take shape.
The future Premier League star started out playing futsal, regularly lining up against older, stronger kids. “I remember being so scared,” he said. “They were bigger, taller, stronger… but I just ran like a crazy kid.”
His tenacity and unmistakable flair caught attention quickly, leading to a place in Espanyol’s youth system and, not long after, a move to La Masia, FC Barcelona’s iconic academy.
The Long Road: Barcelona to Brighton
The road to West London was far from linear. After his time with Barça, Cucurella moved to Eibar on loan in 2018, later establishing himself at Getafe before earning a Premier League switch to Brighton & Hove Albion in 2021.
At Brighton, the Spaniard quickly became a fan favourite. But while he was helping shape Brighton’s rise, he and his wife were quietly falling in love with another part of England.
“Whenever we had days off (while playing for Brighton), we would drive into London. And every single time, the road home was via Fulham Road,” he said.
“We would pass Stamford Bridge, and I noticed how the stadium is in the middle of the city. The area is beautiful, the buildings huge. I would always say to myself, imagine playing here.”
An Ibiza Flight… and a Missed Message
Fast forward to summer 2022, with transfer season in full swing. Cucurella had packed his bags for a trip to Ibiza with friends and family, seemingly taking a breather from football’s chaos. But as he sat at the airport gate, something unexpected happened.
“My agent told me he had a call in the morning from an American number,” he recalled. “He didn’t return the call at first. So, we decided to send a text instead, to be sure. It was the Chelsea owner, Todd Boehly.”
Suddenly, the possibility of playing at Stamford Bridge was no longer a dream glimpsed from car windows, it was real. His agent urged him to hold off on boarding the flight. But Cucurella, unknowingly, had put his phone away.
“I had two minutes until boarding closed,” he said. “I didn’t see the messages. So I boarded the plane…”
Despite the brief communications hiccup, the deal went through. Ibiza had to wait. Marc Cucurella became a Chelsea player, signing a six-year deal. This was a moment that fulfilled a vision quietly nurtured every time he passed Stamford Bridge.
Home at the Bridge
Two years on, the Spanish defender continues to wear the blue shirt with pride, adding energy, edge, and unmistakable flair to the Chelsea backline that helped them secure a top-four spot in Enzo Maresca's debut season as boss, win the 2024-25 Conference League Cup and the Club World Cup in the U.S.
His story is a reminder that sometimes fate works in strange, beautiful ways, whether through a car buyer’s tip or a missed call at the boarding gate. And as Cucurella himself puts it: “Now I call it home, and it’s surreal.”
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