Marc Cucurella, one of the standout sensations in Spain's great start at Euro 2024, expressed his happiness and "pride" for a moment he says he "worked hard" for, without any handouts.

One of Luis de la Fuente's big surprises for Euro 2024, called up after José Luis Gayá's injury, has taken full advantage of the opportunity to play his first major tournament with Spain. Cucurella was the pick for left-back by the Spanish coach and has delivered with two great performances against Croatia and Italy.

"I'm happy, it's the result of a lot of hard work. I've had a tough year, I had a serious injury, but in the end, I've worked a lot, and this opportunity came. I've enjoyed it a lot, and I've felt very proud. Playing this game and enjoying it, I think this match will mark a before and after," he said, focusing on his performance against Italy.

"No one gave me anything, I'm here because of my work, on my own merits, and it hasn't been an easy path. I've had to sweat and work a lot. Everything I've achieved has been through hard work and merit," he defended.

By the numbers, his game against Italy will be among the best of his career with 100% passing accuracy in 51 attempts, ten duels won, seven recoveries, five clearances, and not being dribbled past even once by opponents. "Not bad, right? The most important thing is that I touched the ball a little, that's why I didn't mess up much," he joked.