Frank Leboeuf has expressed his regret over harshly criticising Marc Cucurella after the Chelsea defender proved his worth with a series of strong performances, including scoring the winner in the 1-0 victory against Leicester City.

Previously, Leboeuf was outspoken against Chelsea’s £62m signing of Cucurella, calling the deal “crazy” and claiming that the Spanish left-back “doesn’t belong at this level.”

Now, however, the former Chelsea defender has admitted that he was “very harsh” and has since developed a deep admiration for Cucurella’s contributions to the team.

“I want to mention somebody because I was very harsh, very hard on him about two years ago,” Leboeuf said during a post-match analysis on ESPN.

“Cucurella. I call him Cucu the saviour! That’s what I call him. He’s become my idol! That guy is amazing: defensively, offensively. Cucu the saviour, I love you.”

Leboeuf, however, remains critical of Chelsea’s overall performance, despite the victory. “Chelsea are keeping hold of the ball but doing nothing with it. Then later in the game when they need the ball they give the ball away. They looked completely lost against Leicester. They won, it’s okay, but I’m not very happy with the performance.”

Cucurella’s rise continues, as he has played a key role not only at Chelsea but also in Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph.

His resurgence comes at a time when Chelsea is fighting for a place in the Champions League, a feat made possible by their recent victories.