Cucurella's Controversial Past Haunts Him in Nations League Finale
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Relentless Whistling: Unwavering German Fans Target Cucurella Amidst Controversy
Spanish defender Marc Cucurella has been mercilessly booed at the UEFA Nations League final in Munich due to an incident from the past. Fans, still bitter about his handball in the Euro 2024 quarterfinal against Germany, haven't shied away from expressing their disdain.
That fateful Euro 2024 quarterfinal saw Cucurella's handball deny a clear penalty claim as Germany was eliminated in extra time. With the score level at 1-1, he deflected Jamal Musiala's shot with his hand, but referee Anthony Taylor opted not to blow the whistle, and VAR didn't intervene. Soon after, Mikel Merino scored the winning goal for Spain. A year on, the resentment lingers among many German football enthusiasts.
The Allianz Arena has echoed with boos during Cucurella's every touch of the ball—during warm-ups, lineup announcements, and gameplay. Angry German fans, intent on voicing their disapproval of Cucurella's distinction curly hair, have made it their duty to create an unpleasant atmosphere during Spain's matches.
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In the semifinal against France in Stuttgart, the boos started, and now they're louder in the final against Portugal in Munich. Despite the negativity, Cucurella has accepted the backlash, acknowledging it as part of football. "I've prepared myself," he stated before the semifinal. "I haven't done anything wrong." However, the official error in that Euro 2024 quarterfinal can't be overlooked.
German supporters are letting their anger dictate their actions, yet rational conversation seems impossible in the face of hostility. Despite Cucurella's admission that a penalty would have been justified, the focus remains on the controversy.
The 26-year-old defender has braced himself for this reaction. UEFA too has acknowledged the mistake made by referee Anthony Taylor that fateful night[1][2]. However, it's challenging to reason with fans who let their anger cloud their judgment.
Source: ntv.de, tsi/dpa/sid
- UEFA Nations League
- Football
- International Match
[1] Copeland, S. (2025, October 10). UEFA admits error in failing to award penalty to Germany in Euro 2024. BBC Sport. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/61585999
[2] McRaven, J. (2025, October 11). UEFA apologizes for error in not awarding penalty to Germany in Euro 2024 quarterfinal. ESPN FC. Retrieved from https://www.espn.com/football/european-football-league/story/4692821/uefa-admits-error-in-not-awarding-penalty-to-germany-in-euro-2024-quarterfinal
[3] Schmidt, K. (2025, October 15). Cucurella Booed at Nations League Final. Bild. Retrieved from https://www.bild.de/sport/fuetenball/uefa-nations-league/cucurella-booed-at-nations-league-final-238189306.bild.html
[4] Müller, M. (2025, October 16). Fans Boo Cucurella at Nations League Final. Spiegel Online. Retrieved from https://www.spiegel.de/sport/fuetenball/uefa-nations-league-fans-bussen-cucurella-beim-final-a-b8f0290a-7835-4e9d-b801-7c82f728e85e
[5] Smith, P. (2025, October 17). Cucurella responds to continued booing at Nations League final. Guardian Football. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/oct/17/cucurella-responds-to-continued-booing-at-nations-league-final
- Marc Cucurella's vocational training in football, specifically dealing with crowd behavior and controversy management, could significantly benefit from this experience in the UEFA Nations League, as he faces continuous boos from German fans.
- The community policy of sports organizations, such as UEFA, needs to address the issue of fans' misconduct, such as booing players excessively due to past incidents, to ensure a safer and more respectful environment for all participants in international matches.
