Marc Cucurella is THE outstanding left back of the Euros and now looks like the player City once wanted, writes MATT BARLOW… here's how he went from Chelsea scapegoat to Spain sensation

Lamine Yamal is not the only revelation of Euro 2024 to rise from Barcelona's academy and happen to be celebrating a birthday this month.

In fact, for many in his native Spain, Yamal's performances have come as no surprise.

Such was the quality and maturity of his debut La Liga season that the 16-year-old winger was broadly expected to take this latest challenge in his elegant stride.

And he has, shattering records while decorating Tuesday's semi-final against France with a goal to remember.

Few people, however, forecast Marc Cucurella would be the outstanding left back of the tournament.

Tackling with tenacity, clearing danger, neutralising the various threats posed by talented wingers such as Jamal Musiala and Ousmane Dembele. Rampaging up and down the left flank in support of Nico Williams.

Hair bouncing all over the place in defiance of the Germans who booed mercilessly his every touch against the French in Munich, still sore he got away with a handball as Spain knocked out the hosts in the quarter finals.

Earning praise from boss Luis de la Fuente who simply refused to lose faith when it would have been easy to do so.

It has been an arduous couple of years for Cucurella but during the last four weeks he has once more started to look once again like the player Chelsea and Manchester City competed to sign in 2022.

City backed down when Brighton asked them to start the bidding at £50million and everyone had a good laugh at the largesse of Chelsea's new American owners when they agreed to fork out £62m.

They already had Ben Chilwell at Stamford Bridge and Lewis Hall a promising left-sided academy graduate who was later sold to Newcastle to help balance the books.

Cucurella then struggled with injuries and found himself pushed into different roles in different systems as different managers came and went at Stamford Bridge, and they slipped down the Premier League.

In doing so, he became a target for the frustration of fans unhappy with the demise unfolding before them.

He started only 41 games across his two seasons at Chelsea. Last season, his 21 appearances were most notable for the fact they accrued 10 yellow cards.

None of which stopped De La Fuente calling him into the squad when Alejandro Balde and Jose Gaya were ruled out by injuries and sticking him into the team ahead of Alex Grimaldo who might have expected to start after a fine season at Bayer Leverkusen.

Cucurella started the opening game against Croatia, impressed and has held down his place since as Spain overcame defending champions Italy, hosts Germany and pre-tournament favourites France.

The defensive strengths of the fullbacks offset the exciting young wingers Yamal and Williams who have a licence to dazzle going forward and are spared too much defensive toil.

Rodri and Fabian Ruiz supply cover from midfield but the full backs are expected to prioritise the defensive aspects of the role. This role suits Cucurella more than Grimaldo, and arguably more than those missing through injury.

When he speaks publicly, De La Fuente hardly ever fails references his in-depth knowledge of players he worked closely with during his time coaching through Spain's youth ranks from Under-17s to U21s and the squad he took to the Tokyo Olympics.

'I know them really well and I know their potential,' said the Spain boss after knocking out France. 'We have a clear idea, a clear model and I select players to play in a certain way. If I wanted to play another way I would select different players.'

Cucurella is one of seven in De La Fuente's Spain squad who won silver the Olympics in 2021. He had enjoyed two successful years at Getafe, the first of them on loan from Barcelona, where he only played once in the first team.

The other Olympians in this squad were Unai Simon, Dani Olmo, Mikel Merino, Mikel Oyarzabal, Martin Zubimendi and Pedri. They lost to Brazil in the final after extra-time.

Familiarity has made for a happy camp and team chemistry. Within that, Cucurella is a popular figure. At Brighton and Chelsea, they will attest to his gentle off-field personality and likeability. Spain's players were quick to rally round in support after he was booed by the Germans in Munich.

And he has been at the heart of the fun at their training base in the Black Forest, performing the Cu-Cucerella song popularised by fans on social media as a forfeit after losing a mini-golf bet with Alvaro Morata and promising at the start of the tournament to dye his hair red if they went all the way.

He might be beginning to regret that as Spain close in on Berlin against England, or it might go well with his birthday celebrations on Monday week.