Cucu gives all of us Real Madrid fans reason to dream
A player everybody likes, a classic left back whose relentless energy has always been appreciated at the Bernabéu, arrives to end the idea that Real Madrid has no Spain internationals.
Late this afternoon I was driving back from a lunch with 170 supporters’ club members in Arévalo, in the province of Ávila, just north of Madrid. Despite a trophyless season, every one of them spoke enthusiastically about this new project taking shape around the iron-willed figure of José Mourinho. They understand that Denzel Dumfries and Ibrahima Konaté will bring strength and muscle to the defense, and they are excited about Bernardo Silva, who at 31 seems like a younger version of Luka Modrić. But they all added the same thing: “I just hope we sign an established Spain international.” Their wish came true before I even made it back to Madrid. Cucurella. Yes, the great Cucu. A player everybody likes, a tremendous left back who charges up and down the flank like a tireless yo-yo. A classic No. 3, the kind of player the Bernabéu has always admired because of the energy he brings to the game.
Cucurella wigs coming to Madrid
And he has charisma, too. That famous hair makes him unlike any other player. I can already imagine the number of wigs we’ll soon be seeing in his honor around the Chamartín district of the Spanish capital where Real Madrid have their home. I still remember the lesson he gave us with Eibar at Ipurua, and the problems he caused Real Madrid on so many European nights with Chelsea. Cucurella is another signing personally requested by Mourinho, just like Dumfries, Konaté and Bernardo Silva, and that pleases me. The coach should be the one driving recruitment so his vision of the game can be translated onto the field with conviction and reliability.
Cucu is also an automatic starter for Spain, and no one will be able to say any longer that there are no Real Madrid players representing La Roja as this World Cup begins, a tournament that will soon bring the entire country to a standstill. On the Richter scale of excitement, the signing of Cucurella registers a 9.5. A blockbuster. A huge signing.
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