Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella and his wife, Claudia, have opened up about the challenges of raising their son, Mateo, who is autistic.

Marc shared that they first noticed something different when Mateo started school and didn’t behave like the other children. Speaking through tears, the Spanish footballer said the diagnosis came as a surprise and they had to adjust their lives to give their son the extra care and attention he needs.

He admitted it hasn’t been easy, but they are learning and doing their best to support Mateo’s unique needs.

“Our kid is autistic, but the parents aren't ready for this, so we need to learn a lot. We always try to speak with him,” he said during an interview with Amazon Prime Video Sport.

Marc Cucurella & Claudia Rodriguez share their story about their son Mateo, who has autism 💙

CFC-Blues (@CFCBlues_com) May 1, 2025

Claudia shared that caring for Mateo has been difficult, especially with his social interactions and eating habits. These challenges have limited their ability to go out freely, as they often need to stay home to ensure he gets the attention he needs.

“We saw that some things were different from other kids. We didn't find too much help from the school, and we had our worst months. Every day, we went together to drop Mateo off while I was pregnant with Rio as well, and we came back home.

"It's difficult to be in other places, with food. There was no school and therapy at some point, so it was hard for him. There are things we can't do because of him,” she added.