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The heartwarming story behind why Marc Cucurella never ties his hair
Marc Cucurella's signature curls have become one of football's most recognizable looks, but the emotional story behind them has touched fans around the world
- PUBLISHED: Thu 23 Jul 2026, 2:01 PM
Marc Cucurella's wild curls have become one of the most recognizable hairstyles in world football.
The Spain international has worn his hair long throughout his professional career and has repeatedly made it clear he has no intention of changing that.
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Now playing for Real Madrid, the Spain international has worn his hair long throughout his professional career and has repeatedly made it clear he has no intention of changing that.
While many players with long hair, including Erling Haaland, tie it back before kick off, Cucurella has always chosen to leave his loose, even though cameras regularly catch him brushing it away from his face during matches.
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After Spain's World Cup triumph, clips of Cucurella racing around the pitch with his trademark curls flowing quickly spread across social media.
Thousands of fans began asking the same question: Why doesn't Marc Cucurella tie his hair?
As those videos gained traction, reports began circulating that there was a deeply personal reason behind his decision.
According to those reports, Cucurella keeps his hair untied so his eldest son, Mateo, who is autistic, can instantly recognize him on the pitch.
The story quickly spread online as older interviews about his family resurfaced, with many fans saying the distinctive hairstyle would make him much easier to spot during a match.
Interest in the story grew after fans revisited several emotional interviews about his family.
In the Amazon Prime documentary Married to the Game, Cucurella and his long time partner, Claudia Rodríguez, spoke openly about raising Mateo after he was diagnosed with autism.
Rodríguez recalled that they knew something was different before receiving an official diagnosis and described one of the most difficult periods of their lives, saying they would drop Mateo off at nursery and drive home crying because he was struggling so much to settle in.
The documentary also showed Cucurella becoming emotional as he spoke about his son, admitting that parenting a child with autism is something no one prepares you for.
"Nobody teaches you. You have to learn to understand him."
Claims also resurfaced online that, before joining Barcelona's famed La Masia academy, Cucurella's family wanted to know what support was available for children with autism.
While that specific claim has not been independently verified, it gained traction because of FC Barcelona's longstanding reputation for promoting inclusion and accessibility through the Barça Foundation.
In recent years, the club has introduced several autism-focused initiatives, including "Quieter Hours" at the Barça Immersive Tour and the Spotify Camp Nou Barça Store, designed to create sensory-friendly environments for autistic visitors.
The club has also worked with autism organizations such as Aprenem Autisme to improve accessibility and staff training, alongside broader inclusion programs for children with disabilities through the Barça Foundation.
As those stories resurfaced alongside Cucurella's emotional interviews about Mateo, many fans said they had gained an even greater appreciation for him, not because of his famous curls, but because of the father behind them.
Cucurella joined Real Madrid in June 2026, a club that, through the Real Madrid Foundation, also runs extensive autism-focused and inclusive sports programs for children with autism spectrum disorder.
While there is no evidence that the move was connected to those initiatives, the club's longstanding commitment to autism inclusion has further highlighted the values many fans already associate with Cucurella, a devoted father who has consistently put his family first.
Mariam Alrashdi is a lifestyle and entertainment reporter at Khaleej Times, with a focus on local trends, Emirati culture, and the arts.