Kylian Mbappe has made an emphatic case for winning the 2026 Ballon d'Or, insisting that no player performed at a higher level than him over the past season despite Real Madrid and France both finishing their major campaigns without silverware.
The race for football's biggest individual prize has become particularly intriguing following the announcement of the 30-man shortlist earlier this week. Harry Kane's extraordinary goalscoring season and trophy haul has strengthened his challenge, while Lamine Yamal's success with Barcelona and World Cup-winning Spain gives the teenager a formidable case of his own. Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland, Rodri and Mbappe are among the other major names in contention ahead of the October 26 ceremony in London.
Mbappe's problem is obvious: unlike several of the leading candidates, there is no major team trophy attached to his season. Real Madrid ended the campaign empty-handed and France's World Cup challenge was halted by Spain in a 2-0 semi-final defeat.
But speaking in an interview with France Football, Mbappe argued that the Ballon d'Or should ultimately judge the player rather than simply reward the most successful team. “I believe I can win it this year. It’s one of my goals, and a short-term one at that,” Mbappe said. “People say I didn’t win a trophy (for club or country), but it’s an individual award. I’ve never seen a Ballon d’Or winner elected unanimously. Has anyone ever won with 100 per cent of the vote? That means there’s always someone who thought the winner didn’t deserve it.”
‘There was no player better than me’
Mbappe's individual numbers provide the foundation for his argument. He scored 25 goals in La Liga and another 15 in the Champions League before producing one of the defining statistical achievements of his career at the World Cup. The France captain took his overall World Cup tally to 22 goals, moving past Lionel Messi to become the competition's all-time leading scorer at just 27.
{{/usCountry}}Mbappe's individual numbers provide the foundation for his argument. He scored 25 goals in La Liga and another 15 in the Champions League before producing one of the defining statistical achievements of his career at the World Cup. The France captain took his overall World Cup tally to 22 goals, moving past Lionel Messi to become the competition's all-time leading scorer at just 27.
{{/usCountry}}For Mbappe, performances of that magnitude should carry considerable weight when the Ballon d'Or votes are decided. “My idea of the Ballon d’Or comes from the Messi and Ronaldo era - you don’t give it to ordinary players, you give it to players who are different. I think I did things that were different this year, so I believe I can win it.”
When directly asked whether he believed he deserved to finish above every other contender, Mbappe offered an even stronger response. “There was no player better than me. We were talking about achievements. To score that many goals in the major competitions, where all the great players are, and of course at the World Cup, the biggest event, to become the competition’s all-time leading scorer - throughout my holidays, that was all people talked to me about,” he said. “It’s difficult to fully grasp what the World Cup means. It’s the competition of the great players, the stars, the greatest players in the history of the game. And to tell yourself that, at 27, I’m already the one who has scored the most goals… And it’s even more special because you take the record from Leo Messi, who for many people is the greatest player in history alongside Cristiano. It’s fantastic. That kind of achievement is different.”
That leaves the 2026 vote with a familiar Ballon d'Or debate: whether extraordinary individual output can outweigh the absence of trophies. Mbappe clearly believes it should — and has made it equally clear that he does not view himself merely as one of the contenders, but as the best player of the season.