Copy linkFacebookXPinterestEmailShare this article 0Join the conversationFollow usAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleNewsletterSubscribe to our newsletterHow did Spain eventually overcome Argentina in the 2026 World Cup final? Was it tactics? Was it superior players? Or was it in fact down to a lucky object?Well, that depends who you ask, but for 2010 World Cup winner Joan Capdevila, the object certainly played a part.Capdevila, who was a part of the last Spain squad to win the World Cup, urged the 2026 cohort copy the ritual he performed 16 years ago prior to his successful final appearance, and he seems pretty convinced it did the trick.Marc Cucurella copied Capdevila's ritual to help Spain win the tournamentIn a post on X, Capdevila revealed that he had buried a coin pitch side before his final in 2010, and that he had urged Cucurella to do the same this time around.He wrote: "Now I'll let you in on a little secret. Back in 2010, I buried a coin in the grass before the match started. You may like Ex-Spain forward Fernando Morientes reveals secret to 2026 World Cup success ahead of England Argentina showdown HENRY WINTER: Spain's World Cup triumph is a victory for football. Argentina came to fight but were slain by Luis de la Fuente's matadors I can name the whole Spain squad from the 2010 World Cup they inspired us Mikel Merino on following in the footsteps of Spains Golden Age stars "Ive told that story a million times. I asked Cucurella to do the same thing yesterday... Marc, I love you so much. YOURE A WORLD CHAMPION!"That post was accompanied by a video of the now Real Madrid full back walking to the side of the pitch and clearly burying something in the grass, presumably the coin that Capdevila instructed him to hide.Get FourFourTwo NewsletterThe best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.The win was a celebratory culmination of a tricky few days for Capdevila, who at first looked as if he wouldn't be able to attend the game.The former defender's ESTA was denied, forcing him send messages to Donald Trump on X, saying: "Ive just been told I cant travel to the final with my kids because my ESTA was denied."I can't believe I'm not being allowed into the USA... and that I'll miss out on a moment like this with my kids - we love football so much. If anyone knows how to fix this, I would be eternally grateful."Fortunately he had his issues sorted and he was able to be there to see Cucurella bury a lucky coin before sealing Spain's second ever World Cup victory.He later added: "How could it not have been worth it... I deserved to be here with my family, enjoying this moment, and justice was served."Thank you to everyone who pushed to make this possible; heartfelt thanks to you all."TOPICSMarc CucurellaSpainArgentinaWorld CupWorld Cup 2026Ryan GraySocial Links NavigationFreelance WriterRyan Gray is a freelance writer, covering mainly travel and occasionally sport. He previously spent two years as Sports Editor at the Watford Observer before turning his hand to travel writing, with his work appearing in various national UK publications. He has gone from providing matchday commentary for Blyth Spartans to covering FA Cup and Euros finals, as well as interviewing the likes of Claudio Ranieri, Alan Shearer and Glenn Hoddle, among other big names.
