Marc Cucurella Ready to Silence PSG’s Dembele Again as He Reflects on His Chelsea Comeback Ahead of Club World Cup Final

As Chelsea prepare to face Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup final, left-back Marc Cucurella is not only focused on stopping one of the world’s most dangerous attackers — he’s also reflecting on how far he’s come.

From being booed by Chelsea fans to becoming one of the team’s most consistent performers, Cucurella has grown through tough experiences. And now, with Ousmane Dembele likely to line up in front of him once again, the 26-year-old knows exactly what’s coming.

“They don’t leave me alone – no one, never!” Cucurella laughs, speaking about rival fans’ jeers.
“But it’s good. I know when they do this, it’s because we’re going through or they’re going to lose the game.”

Cucurella has already locked horns with Dembele twice this year — once during Spain’s 2-1 win over France in the Euro 2024 semi-final, and again in the Nations League final, a thrilling 5-4 Spanish win.

In that match, one now-famous image shows Cucurella towering over Dembele after a tackle, shouting down like Muhammad Ali over Sonny Liston.

On Sunday night, they meet again.

Dembele, who has been in red-hot form and is a strong Ballon d’Or contender, will likely drift into Cucurella’s territory from his central striker position. The Chelsea defender isn’t fazed. He’s done it before and believes he can do it again.

“Madrid made two big mistakes in two minutes and that changed the game completely,” Cucurella says of PSG’s 4-0 win over Real Madrid in the semi-final.
“It was also hot, and that worked in PSG’s favour.”

Cucurella’s £55 million move to Chelsea (rising to £62m) from Brighton came with high expectations — maybe too high. He admits the pressure took its toll early on.

“It was tough at the beginning because I’m not the kind of player who takes the ball and changes the game. People expected me to be a machine and score every week,” he said.

“Before Chelsea, I was at smaller clubs. If we drew a game, it was a point. Just don’t get relegated. But at Chelsea, it’s different. You have to win every game.”

That pressure made his early months difficult, but everything began to change on March 17, 2024, when he returned from injury and scored in a 4-2 FA Cup win over Leicester. That same day, he received a surprise call-up to the Spain national team after Jose Gaya picked up an injury.

He went on to play all six games for Spain at the Euros, helping his country lift the trophy. That moment sparked a new belief in himself.

“After my injury, I thought a lot about who I am, what I need to work on. That changed everything,” he said.

PSG may be seen as favourites, having scored 16 goals and conceded just once during their Club World Cup campaign, but Chelsea aren’t intimidated.

“They are a great team, but we’re not Inter or Madrid,” Cucurella said.
“We press differently. We play differently. Most people expect PSG to win — but we don’t feel that way inside the team.”

Chelsea plan to control more of the ball in Sunday’s final, not just to limit PSG’s chances, but also to conserve energy in what is expected to be humid conditions in New York.

Off the pitch, Cucurella has also grown more comfortable in his role at Chelsea. His bond with the fans is stronger than ever, especially after his standout displays in the Conference League and his big role in the club’s Champions League return.

Fans now sing about him with pride — a far cry from when he first arrived. His life was recently featured in the TV series Married to the Game, which gave supporters a look into his personal world, including his family’s experience raising his son, Mateo, who lives with autism.

“It was good to show that we’re just like other families,” he said.
“People think you have a perfect life because you play for Chelsea — but it’s not always like that.”

After the final, Chelsea players will get a 21-day break, and Cucurella already knows how he’ll spend it — on a Disney cruise with his wife and three children.

“I’ll watch all the cartoons,” he smiles. “Just enjoy time with them. That’s what matters — when I’m with them, I don’t think about football.”

But first, one more challenge remains: stopping Dembele, Desire Doue, and the rest of PSG’s attacking force, while helping Chelsea chase the Club World Cup trophy — and that shiny gold FIFA badge that could decorate their shirts for years to come.