Marc Cucurella has finished 18th in the men’s Ballon d’Or rankings for 2026, a result that deserves more attention than a mid-table placing normally gets. 

A former Chelsea full-back, who joined Real Madrid in the summer, has been ranked above some of the biggest and most influential names in world football.

While his nomination for the title of “world’s best” wasn’t based on his performances for Chelsea, we fans can still take some pride in seeing a former Blue make the top 30. It was his impressive displays for Spain at the World Cup that earned him plaudits from around the world.

The winner has yet to be decided with the likelihood the three of Harry Kane, Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappe the winner of the coveted award.

The rankings highlight just how strong the competition was. Cucurella finished ahead of Bruno Fernandes (27th), Lautaro Martínez (22nd), Luis Díaz (24th) and Marquinhos (25th). He also came out above William Saliba, who shared 29th place with Sadio Mané.

Cucurella even finished ahead of João Neves (19th), Willian Pacho (20th) and Gabriel Magalhães (21st), making him the highest-ranked player among that particular group of defenders and midfielders. These are all big names who enjoyed impressive and consistent form over the previous year, which makes Cucurella's achievement all the more noteworthy.

His ranking among fellow full-backs is equally impressive. Cucurella finished ahead of Nuno Mendes, who placed 23rd, although Achraf Hakimi went one better, claiming 13th. Defenders rarely receive much recognition in the Ballon d’Or rankings, which tend to favour players who rack up goals and assists. 

For a left-back to break into the top 20 is a testament to Cucurella’s consistency and the level of his performances. The ranking also serves as a reminder of how far he has come. Cucurella arrived at Chelsea as a divisive signing, with plenty of doubts surrounding his ability to justify his price tag. 

Since then, he has steadily earned his place through hard work, reliability and consistent performances. Finishing above several established stars is recognition he deserves, and it gives Chelsea fans another reason to feel proud of a player who has grown into such an important figure.

For Chelsea, Cucurella’s placing is a reflection of the quality within the squad. Having a first-team player recognised among the 20 best in the world is something supporters can take real pride in.