Behind every elite athlete is a family that believed in the dream long before the world did. For Spanish defender Marc Cucurella, that foundation came from his parents, Óscar and Patricia. They introduced him to futsal at just four years old and stood by him through every stage of his journey, from local pitches to some of football’s biggest stadiums. Here’s a closer look at Óscar and Patricia, the role they played in Cucurella’s upbringing, and how their support helped shape one of Spain’s top defenders.

Who is Marc Cucurella’s father, Óscar Cucurella? 

Óscar Cucurella is the father of Marc Cucurella, and he has been a driving force for his son’s career. He balanced his life as a working-class father in Catalonia with his job as a car salesman in Spain.  Surprisingly, his job at a car dealership was the reason Marc had a breakthrough in his career.

When Marc was around eight years old, a customer walked into Óscar’s dealership to buy a vehicle. The two started a conversation about football, and Óscar mentioned his football-obsessed eldest son. Surprisingly, the customer had connections and advised Óscar to take Marc to the RCD Espanyol academy trials.

Interestingly, Marc’s father was a huge football enthusiast and a passionate amateur football player himself. Maybe that is why his son had athleticism in his DNA. Despite having long hours of work, he would still make time to play football with Marc when he returned home.

Who is Marc Cucurella’s mother, Patricia Saseta? 

Marc Cucurella’s mother, Patricia Saseta, was not only the driving force behind her son’s career and his emotional anchor but also the reason behind his famous haircut.  Marc Cucurella’s iconic, long, voluminous curly hair is actually his mother’s idea. When Marc was a young kid playing youth football, Patricia had trouble identifying her son among the players. This is when she struck up an idea and asked her son to grow out his hair so she could instantly spot him from the sidelines during matches.

What started as a mother’s clever tracking method became an iconic signature haircut for the player. He has famously stated that cutting his hair is completely non-negotiable because both his mother and his wife, Claudia, love it.

In fact, alongside his father Óscar, Patricia was the one who made the tactical decision to enroll a four-year-old Marc in futsal rather than standard football. They believed that it would sharpen his skills and his spatial awareness. When Marc moved up to elite setups like RCD Espanyol and later FC Barcelona’s La Masia, Patricia balanced managing a working-class household in Alella while coordinating the hectic travel schedules required for academy players.

What is Marc Cucurella’s parents’ ethnicity and nationality? 

Marc and his parents are Catalan in terms of ethnicity. They are native to Catalonia, which is an autonomous region in northeastern Spain. 

Marc was born and raised in Alella, a small town in the province of Barcelona, Catalonia. He is a Spanish national by citizenship and identifies closely with his Catalan heritage. He definitely embodies the essence and passion of Spain and delivers them on the football field through his electrifying play.

How did Marc Cucurella’s parents influence his football career?

Marc Cucurella has often credited his parents for shaping both his career and his mindset. Speaking to Chelsea FC, he reflected on his father Óscar’s demanding approach, “My father was very strict, but in a good way, I think. If I failed one pass or had one bad action, he would see it as a disaster, a catastrophe. But maybe this was important? Maybe I needed that one person to push me and to tell me how to improve. That was my dad.”

Óscar’s high standards helped Cucurella develop the discipline and resilience needed to thrive in elite environments like Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy. While his father’s tough love pushed him to improve, his mother, Patricia, supported his journey in her own memorable way.

Patricia was also behind one of Cucurella’s most recognizable features—his long, curly hair. She encouraged him to keep it long so she could easily spot him on the pitch during matches. Over time, those curls became a trademark instantly associated with the Spanish defender by football fans around the world.

From Patricia’s decision to introduce him to futsal at a young age to Óscar’s belief in his potential, both parents played a pivotal role in laying the foundation for Cucurella’s rise to the top of European football.