Kylian Mbappe has expressed confidence in his chances of winning the 2026 Ballon d’Or after a season in which he finished as the leading scorer in La Liga, the Champions League and the World Cup.
The France and Real Madrid forward said on Tuesday that he believes his individual performances have given him a strong case for the prestigious award, despite ending the 2025/26 season without a major team trophy.
“It’s a good year for me, and I really feel it,” Mbappe said in an interview with RFI, pointing to his scoring records across the major competitions.
Mbappe scored 25 goals in La Liga and 15 in the Champions League for Real Madrid during the 2025/26 campaign. He added 10 goals for France at the 2026 World Cup, becoming the tournament’s all-time leading scorer with 22 goals overall.
France reached the World Cup semi-finals but did not win the tournament, while Real Madrid finished second in La Liga and exited the Champions League in the quarter-finals.
Mbappe’s argument for the individual award is therefore largely based on his scoring output and individual performances. He said the Ballon d’Or recognises players who can consistently produce decisive and eye-catching moments.
The 27-year-old is among the 30 nominees for the 2026 men’s Ballon d’Or. Other prominent names on the shortlist include Lamine Yamal, Harry Kane, Rodri, Ousmane Dembele and Lionel Messi.
Yamal has also publicly made his case for the award after helping Barcelona retain the La Liga title and Spain win the 2026 World Cup. The Barcelona forward has described Mbappe as one of his main rivals for the prize.
Kane enters the race after a prolific season with Bayern Munich and England, while Rodri captained Spain to the World Cup title. The competition also includes players from Paris Saint-Germain who won the Champions League.
Mbappe previously said he wanted to bring the Ballon d’Or back to Real Madrid, with the club having last produced a men’s winner when Karim Benzema received the award in 2022.
The 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony will be held in London on October 26, when the winner of the men’s award will be announced.
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