A heartfelt quote allegedly attributed to Marc Cucurella has gone viral online, claiming the Spain defender grew out his famous curly hair so his son could recognise him while watching him play.

The story quickly gained attention because Cucurella’s nine-year-old son Mateo is autistic, and the message appeared to portray a touching gesture from a father wanting to make himself easier for his child to identify on the pitch.

But is the emotional story actually true?

While Mateo’s autism diagnosis is real and Cucurella has spoken openly about his family’s journey, there is no record of the defender ever saying that he grew his hair so his son could recognise him during matches.

The viral quote appears to have taken a genuine part of Cucurella’s life and added a touching detail that was never actually said by the player himself.

The real story behind Cucurella’s famous curls goes back much further — to his childhood.

The Spain international previously explained that his mother decided to let his hair grow when he was young because it helped her recognise him while he was playing football.

With so many children wearing similar kits, his distinctive hairstyle made him easy to spot from the sidelines.

What began as a small family decision in his childhood years eventually became one of the defining features of Cucurella’s footballing identity, following him all the way to the biggest stages of the game.

Over the years, Cucurella’s curls have taken on a life of their own, becoming an internet sensation that has inspired endless memes — and even earned a nod from Google.

Cucurella was one of Spain’s standout performers during their World Cup campaign, helping the national team secure their second star.

Now, after completing his move to Real Madrid, the defender is preparing to begin a new chapter at the Santiago Bernabéu.