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Google Pays Viral Tribute to Spain's Marc Cucurella Ahead of World Cup Final

How 2 Israeli newsrooms covered this story — translated into English and compared side by side.

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First reported by N12 · Jul 17, 2026

What happened

Spanish left-back Marc Cucurella has gained viral fame during the 2026 World Cup, inspiring a Google tribute featuring a curly-haired cat resembling him. This has driven a significant spike in online searches for the player, who plans to retire from the national team if Spain wins the tournament.

01Marc Cucurella became a viral sensation during the 2026 World Cup due to his distinctive long hair.
02A viral image of a curly-haired cat resembling Cucurella waving a Spanish flag went viral online.
03Google added this cat image to its search results for Cucurella as a tribute before the World Cup final.
04Searches for Cucurella surged 30% in the last hour and 300% compared to the previous week.
05Cucurella said he will retire from Spain’s national team if they win the World Cup.
06No player has dribbled past Cucurella during the tournament, highlighting his defensive skill.

Summary translated & synthesized from the sources below by baba. Read each original for the full report.

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