Real Madrid made a number of star signings in the summer, including Marc Cucurella from Chelsea.
The Spaniard’s arrival gave Los Blancos a World Cup winner in their squad. He took some time to settle into life at Madrid but has slowly come into his own in recent weeks.
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Cucurella has now spoken about the 2026 Ballon d’Or, which continues to generate debate weeks after Harry Kane was crowned the winner.
Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe narrowly finished behind the Englishman, missing out by just 28 points.
Speaking to El Chiringuito TV, Cucurella explained why Mbappe or Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal would have been his preferred choice.
Cucurella surprised by Kane’s Ballon d’Or victory
Asked whether Kane’s triumph was unfair, Cucurella acknowledged the extraordinary numbers the Englishman produced last season.
Kylian Mbappe deserved the 2026 Ballon d’Or. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)
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“Not unfair, because he reached numbers that he probably won’t reach again,” the Madrid defender explained (h/t Madrid Xtra).
However, the Spaniard admitted that he would have preferred one of his club or national team-mates to win the award.
“But for me, I’d have given it to Kylian Mbappe or Lamine because personally as a fan, I’d turn on the TV to watch them play,” he explained.
“It’s not that Kane didn’t deserve it, but it did surprise me,” Cucurella added.
Mbappe came agonisingly close
Kylian Mbappe enjoyed a dream individual season, performing at an astonishing level for both Los Blancos and the France national team at the World Cup.
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The voting results revealed just how narrowly Mbappe missed out on his first Ballon d’Or. Kane received 1,055 points compared to Mbappe’s 1,027.
Mbappe came very close to pipping Harry Kane to the Ballon d’Or. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
The Englishman scored an extraordinary 73 goals for club and country last season, helping Bayern secure a domestic treble.
Ultimately, those numbers seemed too good for most journalists to overlook, helping the Bayern star win the award.
However, Cucurella is right to believe that Mbappe deserved the award. The Frenchman performed when the lights shone brightest.
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Had he added at least one piece of silverware to his cabinet, there is no doubt that the Frenchman would have walked away with the award.
Mbappe has started this season in exceptional fashion once again, and it remains to be seen whether he can do enough to go one step further next year.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
