Kylian Mbappe Makes Case for Himself to Win 2026 Ballon d’Or
- Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe publicly backed himself to win the Ballon d'Or, citing a record-breaking World Cup campaign
- Mbappe scored 42 goals in 44 club games last season and finished as the top scorer at the 2026 World Cup with 10 goals
- The 27-year-old acknowledged that Real Madrid won no trophies last season but argued individual achievement should be the deciding factor
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Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe has said he believes this could be his year to claim the Ballon d'Or, insisting his individual performances across club and international football make a compelling case for the award.
The 26-year-old, who netted 42 goals in 44 appearances for Real Madrid last season, also became the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history during France's 2026 campaign, finishing with 10 goals at the tournament to bring his career World Cup tally to a record 22. France ended the competition in fourth place.
Source: Getty Images
Mbappe Makes to win Ballon d'Or
Speaking openly about the award, Mbappe left no doubt about where his vote would go.
"Who do I vote for the Ballon d'Or? I vote for me. It's an individual trophy. We look at what the player has done individually," he said via L’Equipe.
He pushed back against the argument that Real Madrid's trophy-less season should count against him.
"People say I haven't won any trophies? I've never seen a Ballon d'Or, unanimously, that checked everything every time. Has there already been someone who won the Ballon d'Or with 100% of the votes? No. So that means there's always someone who thought he didn't deserve it," Mbappe said.
The Frenchman pointed to his World Cup scoring record as the centrepiece of his argument.
"Being the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history is something special. Finishing as the top scorer in all the most important competitions where all the best players play, I don't know if that's ever been achieved," he added.
Mbappe framed his candidacy around a broader principle he said guides his thinking on the award.
"I always start from the principle that history must be rewarded. When you look at the arguments, when you look at the competition... I look, and I tell myself that yeah... it wouldn't be stolen if I win it," he said.
As noted by BBC Sport, the best the forward has placed in Ballon d'Or voting is third, which he achieved in 2023 while still at Paris Saint-Germain. A win this year would be the first of his career.
Enrique makes Ballon d'Or claim
Legit.ng previously reported that Luis Enrique claimed that the 2026 Ballon d'Or award should go to one of his Paris Saint-Germain players.
The Spanish manager claimed that his team won consecutive UEFA Champions League titles and had players who performed well at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Source: Legit.ng
