Coming to the end of his third season at Stamford Bridge, the Spanish full-back has surpassed 100 appearances for the Blues and has become a familiar presence at both the Bridge and Cobham.

Reflecting on the support he received after joining Chelsea, Cucurella is keen to pass that guidance on to our latest arrivals.

In particular, he has embraced the responsibility of supporting Spanish-speaking players, enjoying his role as a leading voice in helping to keep the whole group close on and off the pitch, including by setting up a dedicated WhatsApp group.

‘It’s good to have this role in the team,’ he began, speaking before training in Philadelphia.

‘I think we have a young group, and I've tried to always give my experience and help the team in every way. The new guys are all really nice, and we’ve tried to help them get closer to the group. I’ve always tried to help them because when you join a new club, it can be difficult in those first few weeks.

‘We are spending a lot of time together in America so if you’re not confident, it can be difficult because the day is very long. But I try to create a good group. We have a WhatsApp group specifically with the Spanish players, and we speak in there. We know that we need to help each other and stay close.’

The 26-year-old knows some of the younger players might struggle being away from their families, and has helped get involved in activities while based in Philadelphia.

‘Since we have been in America, we have played UNO, ping pong, and we’ve been to the Rocky Steps as well,’ he continued. ‘I think it’s been really good, and spending time together has been important ahead of the new season.

‘We have a good group, and some of us have been together for a long time now. We’ve known each other for a couple of years and we have had a good time together. We have had time away from football to play some games, play PlayStation and speak with family.’

Even as an experienced member of the squad, the 26-year-old admits that long spells away from his loved ones can be difficult. Over the years, though, he’s developed strategies to maintain a healthy balance between professional demands and personal life.

‘We know that it can be the most difficult thing, staying away from your family,’ he added. ‘You spend a lot of time away, but on the other side, you get to play a lot of football and that’s what we love. You don’t play any football when you retire and you’ll miss these moments, so we need to take the good parts.

‘I speak a lot with my family. We do video calls, and I try to speak with them. We know that it’s tough with the different time zones, but we stay close and I love to know what they have all been up to in school and their days at home.’

He recognises that it’s just as important to be able to switch off in order to maintain a healthy mindset and balance.

‘It’s important not to think about football all the time to stay mentally fresh,’ he explained. ‘Of course, when it’s time to train, you focus on training, and when it’s matchday, you’re focused on the game. But the rest of the time, you need to feel like a normal person and try to enjoy these moments and feel normal things.’

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