June 15th 2024.
It's an exciting day for soccer fans as the Euro 2024 tournament kicks off with Spain facing off against Croatia. One player who is making headlines is Chelsea's Marc Cucurella, who has been named in Spain's starting lineup. However, not everyone is convinced that he is the right choice for the team.
Former Manchester United player Gary Neville has expressed his concerns about Cucurella's performance, stating that the 25-year-old's inconsistency has been a cause for worry. Despite his £60 million price tag, Cucurella has struggled to find his footing at Chelsea, with this being his second season with the club.
But despite his doubts, Cucurella has been given the opportunity to prove himself on the big stage. With Spain facing tough competition in the form of Italy and Albania, Neville believes that the team's chances of winning the tournament are slim.
"We didn't think he'd play," Neville shared on ITV. "He's not been convincing at Chelsea, he's played a few games towards the end of the season, he's aggressive, he's tenacious, he's a busy little full-back. That price tag still, to be fair, astounds everybody I think to this day."
Neville's co-host, Ian Wright, also weighed in on the situation, suggesting that Spain may have opted for a more defensive approach by choosing Cucurella over Alejandro Grimaldo, who had an impressive season with Bayer Leverkusen.
"I think they've gone a little bit more defensive with Cucurella," Wright said. "Because Grimaldo can get forward maybe they're saving him, they want to keep it tight because of the narrowness of Croatia."
Neville added to this, saying, "There's a massive shift in the last couple of years where actually these attacking full-backs now, we've seen Arsenal and Manchester City in our league playing with four centre-backs, really narrow defences. I think managers are going a little bit more cautious with their back fours and letting the other players in front almost get on with it."
While Cucurella may have his critics, he now has the chance to prove them wrong and help Spain make a strong start in the Euro 2024 tournament. Only time will tell if he can rise to the occasion and silence his doubters. Stay tuned for more updates on the tournament and Cucurella's performance.
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