Coin-burying ritual passed from Capdevila to Cucurella before World Cup final

Former Spain defender Joan Capdevila revealed that he asked Marc Cucurella to bury a coin on the pitch before the 2026 World Cup final, repeating a ritual he performed before Spain's 2010 World Cup triumph. The anecdote highlights a symbolic link between two generations of Spanish champions.

The ritual

Capdevila posted a video on social media showing Cucurella, then a Chelsea player, walking to the sideline and burying a small object before the final against Argentina. “In 2010 I buried a coin on the pitch before the match… I asked Cucurella to do the same yesterday… Marc, I love you. You are world champion!” Capdevila wrote Source: lavozar. The ex-player confirmed Cucurella’s compliance by saying “He did it, kid” in the video Source: infobae.

Capdevila's travel ordeal

Capdevila nearly missed the final due to a denied ESTA visa, which he attributed to a legends match he played in Iran a decade ago Source: infobae. After publicly asking for help, celebrity chef José Andrés intervened by directly appealing to U.S. President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and FIFA on social media Source: lavozar. Capdevila eventually resolved the issue and traveled to New York with former teammate Marcos Senna as an official guest of the Spanish football federation Source: infobae.