Read 3 minutes16 Jun 2026 04:02 PM IST
Football brings out all kinds of emotions and a player doesn’t have to play badly to be booed – by his own team’s fans. Just ask Mark Cukure.
Unable to send Cape Verde making their World Cup debut Their tournament opener in Atalanta would have been a disappointment, and the constant jeers from the La Rosa supporters throughout the game would not have gone down well with the Spanish left-back, although he was one of his best performers on the day, solid at the back, creating chances and providing an attacking outlet.
The special treatment had nothing to do with that game. In fact, Barcelona fans in the crowd were reacting, in his book, to the final act of ‘treason’ – agreeing to join Real Madrid – for which Cuquera was dubbed ‘Judas’ overnight.
The defender, a product of Barcelona’s academy system, was at the club until 2020, then had spells with Getafe and Eibar in Spain before moving to England for Brighton and Chelsea from 2022. Catalan fans would not have minded but a move to Los Blancos would be the ultimate betrayal. Their reception on Monday shows that club loyalty runs deep among fans even when they are at the World Cup supporting their national team.
However, Cucurella has a ways to go before Luis Figo enters the league to create animosity among Barca fans. When the Portuguese returned to the Camp Nou as a Real player in 2002 – after a distinguished stint at the Catalan club – he had plastic bottles, coins, a glass of whiskey and even a pig’s head thrown at him when he went to take a corner kick.
Cucurella’s reception was relatively mild as he was ‘merely’ the target of taunts and taunts.
The 27-year-old Spanish footballer already had a history of booing – but it was by opposition fans. During the 2024 European Championship quarter-final against Germany, Cucurella handled the ball in his own penalty area, but the referee did not award a penalty. Spain went on to win the match and the title, with UEFA later admitting that a spot-kick should have been awarded. Since then, German fans have not let the dog forget the incident.
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When he returned to Stuttgart for last year’s Nations League semi-final against France – the scene of the crime, so to speak – the German crowd proved that football fans have long memories.
Spain have a long way to go in the ongoing World Cup and will have to better brace themselves for more rough treatment – from his own team’s fans – regardless of how Cuquerella performs on the pitch.