There is no doubt that Marc Cucurella is currently experiencing one of the most significant moments of his sporting career.

A World Cup winner with Spain and now established as one of the most influential full-backs in the world, the Real Madrid player capped off his rise to prominence by finishing 18th in the 2026 Ballon d'Or.

The former Chelsea player received his first nomination following a truly memorable season and finished in the world’s top 20 in the final voting.

Amidst this stellar run of form, the defender appeared on ‘El Partidazo de COPE’ to analyse his current situation and discuss day-to-day life in the Real Madrid dressing room.

However, when asked who is the best player or who makes the difference at Real Madrid, he sidestepped the most high-profile names and surprised listeners with an unexpected answer.

Arda Güler, Cucurella’s choice

Far from favouring the stars who usually dominate the front pages, such as Kylian Mbappé or Jude Bellingham, Cucurella turned the spotlight on Arda Güler.

“I could name the usual suspects. I could say Mbappé, Bellingham; Courtois is top-class in my view. But I’m going to name one I really like, who I think goes a bit unnoticed: Arda Güler. I like him,” said the full-back.

Cucurella went into more detail about the footballing reasons behind his choice and explained how the team’s dynamics change when the Turkish player gets on the ball:

“I think that when he plays, we sort of play differently. And I like him because he’s got that boyish face and all that, but then he plays really well, he’s got loads of quality – you can see it in training and all that – I like him,” he added.

In the same vein, he explained: “When he’s on the pitch, the team plays better; we link up better. He plays as a winger, but he cuts inside a lot. He’s the one who’s surprised me the most.”

From prospect to reality

In 2024, a young Arda Güler made his first appearance in the Ballon d'Or world when he received a nomination for Young Talent of the Season.

On that occasion, he finished second in the final vote behind Lamine Yamal, who ultimately won the award.

Today, Güler has shed the ‘prospect’ label and become one of Real Madrid’s leading figures.

At just 21 years of age, he has become a key player for José Mourinho’s side and the undisputed on-pitch leader of the Turkish national team.

“I think that when Arda Güler plays, we play differently” – Marc Cucurella

His ability to link up play in central areas and his knack for finding passing lanes gave the Whites more options in attack.

Arda Güler, almost always in the starting line-up, has become a fixture and a lethal weapon for dismantling opponents.

Arda Güler’s statistics for the 2026–27 season

  • Matches played: 14

  • Minutes on the pitch: 854

  • Goals: 4

  • Assists: 6

  • Yellow cards: 1

  • Red cards: 0

To be more precise, Arda Güler is currently Real Madrid’s top assist provider in Spain’s LaLiga, surpassing the records of established stars such as Jude Bellingham (3) and Vinícius Jr. (3).

An incredible breakthrough that has taken his team-mates by surprise and confirms why the Turkish player is one of the most promising talents in the world.

How far can he go?