Mbappé positions himself as Ballon d’Or contender after record World Cup
The Real Madrid forward says his World Cup and La Liga performances strengthen his case, while acknowledging the award will be decided by journalists.
Kylian Mbappé has backed himself as a leading contender for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, saying he considers himself the world’s best player while accepting voters may favour other candidates.
According to a report by Yahoo Sports, Mbappé scored 10 goals at the 2026 World Cup to become the tournament’s leading scorer and finished as La Liga’s top scorer with 25 goals for Real Madrid.
Mbappé said the World Cup had strengthened his claim, but the campaign also presents potential weaknesses. France finished fourth in the tournament and Real Madrid did not win a major trophy, factors he acknowledged could influence the vote.
The Ballon d’Or is awarded by France Football after votes from journalists representing the top 100 nations in the FIFA rankings. Harry Kane, Lamine Yamal and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia are among the other candidates cited in the report.
Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembélé won the previous award, with Mbappé finishing seventh. Mbappé’s best previous result was third in 2023, while he won the Kopa Award in 2018.
