Cucurella Cat meme started as a funny cat video eventually became one of the most recognizable football memes of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The meme became even bigger when Google added a small animated cat Easter egg for searches related to Cucurella.
What Is the Cucurella Cat Meme?
The Cucurella Cat is a fluffy tabby cat wearing a large black curly wig. With the wig on, the cat looks surprisingly similar to Marc Cucurella, whose long, curly hair has become one of his most recognizable features.
That resemblance is the whole joke. Fans began using pictures and videos of the cat as a playful stand-in for Cucurella, especially during Spain’s World Cup matches.
| Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Meme name | Cucurella Cat |
| Also known as | Marc Cucurella Cat |
| Main subject | A fluffy cat wearing a curly black wig |
| Footballer | Marc Cucurella |
| Original platform | TikTok |
| Original viral post | July 2025 |
| Creator credited with the original video | @welcometolevusch |
| Why it became popular | The cat’s wig closely resembles Cucurella’s curly hair |
| Biggest viral moment | 2026 FIFA World Cup |
| Google connection | A cat animation appeared as an Easter egg for searches for Marc Cucurella |
Where Did the Cucurella Cat Come From?
The meme did not actually begin with the 2026 World Cup. The original video appeared on TikTok in July 2025, posted by the user @welcometolevusch.
The video showed the cat sitting calmly while wearing a large curly wig. The funny part was how naturally the cat seemed to fit the look. Once people noticed that the hairstyle looked almost exactly like Cucurella’s famous curls, the comparison quickly became the focus of the joke.
A later behind-the-scenes video also showed how the owners put the wig on the cat. That helped explain where the famous image came from and made the meme feel even more authentic.
Why Does the Cat Look Like Marc Cucurella?
The answer is mostly the hairstyle.
Cucurella is known for his thick, long and naturally curly hair. The cat in the viral video has a similarly large and messy-looking mass of curls when the black wig is placed on its head.
It is not a complicated joke or a reference that needs much explanation. You see the cat, see the hair and immediately understand the comparison. That simplicity is probably one reason the image worked so well as a meme.
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How Did the Meme Become Popular?
The Cucurella Cat existed online before the 2026 World Cup, but the tournament gave the joke a much bigger audience.
As Spain moved through the competition, football fans began using the cat in posts about Cucurella’s performances. The image was edited into football shirts, match reactions and different situations involving Spain and its opponents.
The meme also became a way for fans to joke about Cucurella’s defensive performances. Whenever he was involved in stopping a dangerous attacker, the cat could be placed into the joke as a funny version of the Spanish defender.
During the World Cup, the meme spread well beyond the original TikTok audience. It appeared across social media, in football fan communities and in reaction posts connected to Spain’s matches.
What Does the Cucurella Cat Meme Mean?
There is no hidden meaning behind the meme. It is simply a visual joke based on Cucurella’s hair.
When people post the cat, they are usually referring to Marc Cucurella, Spain, football or a moment involving the Spanish defender. The cat has effectively become a cartoon-like version of Cucurella.
That is also why the meme became useful during the World Cup. Someone could post the cat without writing much text, and football fans would understand the reference immediately.
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The Real Cat Video Behind the Meme
One interesting detail is that the famous cat was not simply created as a still image. A video shows the owners putting the curly wig onto the cat.
The cat remains remarkably patient while the owners adjust the wig. After several attempts, they get the hairstyle into place, creating the image that later became famous online.
That behind-the-scenes clip helped settle a question many people had when the meme started spreading: was the original Cucurella Cat a real video or just an edited picture?
It was real. The cat, the wig and the original video all came from an actual recording.
Google Added a Cucurella Cat Easter Egg
The meme became so popular during the World Cup that Google joined in.
When people searched for Marc Cucurella, Google displayed a small animated fluffy cat connected to the meme. The cat could appear in the search experience and wave a Spanish flag, turning an internet joke into a small search-engine Easter egg.
It was a fitting move because the meme had become closely connected with Spain’s World Cup run.
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Why Did the Meme Work So Well?
The Cucurella Cat meme has a few things that make an internet joke easy to share.
- The resemblance is easy to understand: the cat’s curly wig immediately reminds people of Cucurella.
- The image is funny on its own: the cat does not need a complicated caption to make the joke work.
- Football gave it a bigger audience: the 2026 World Cup brought millions of fans to the story.
- It was easy to remix: people could add the cat to football shirts, match pictures and reaction posts.
- It became part of a real tournament: every important Cucurella moment gave fans another reason to use the meme.
Marc Cucurella is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a left-back. He is especially recognizable for his long, curly hair.
The cat wears a large curly wig that closely resembles Cucurella’s thick, curly hairstyle. That visual similarity created the joke.
The meme gained a much larger audience during the 2026 FIFA World Cup as fans began using the cat in posts and reactions about Cucurella and Spain.
Yes. Google incorporated a small animated Cucurella Cat Easter egg into searches related to Marc Cucurella during the World Cup.