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Kylian Mbappe has made a fresh case for the Ballon d’Or, insisting his outstanding individual performances in the World Cup, La Liga and Champions League could earn him the prestigious award despite winning no major trophy last season.
The France and Real Madrid forward, 27, said he is confident about his chances after finishing as the leading scorer in all three competitions and becoming the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history with 22 goals.
Mbappe scored 25 goals in La Liga, 15 in the Champions League and 10 at the 2026 World Cup. France, however, were eliminated by Spain in the World Cup semi-finals, while Real Madrid finished second in La Liga and were knocked out of the Champions League by Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals.
Speaking to RFI, Mbappe stressed that the Ballon d’Or is an individual award and argued that his personal statistics should carry significant weight.
“They won’t announce a team in the envelope, they will announce a player.”
He added: “The ability to perform individually and produce eye-catching moments, that’s what stands out to people for an award like this.
“I was top scorer in all the biggest competitions and I think that this could be a good year for me, and I really feel it.”
Mbappe had already declared earlier this month that he believed he could win the award despite Real Madrid and France failing to secure major silverware. He said his individual performances should not be overlooked because the prize is awarded to a player rather than a team.
The Real Madrid forward faces strong competition from players whose individual performances were accompanied by major honours.
Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres won La Liga and the World Cup with Spain, while Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembele and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia won Ligue 1 and the Champions League. Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane also won the Bundesliga.
Yamal has also identified Mbappe as his main rival for the award, while pointing to his own success with Barcelona and Spain as part of his case. The Spaniard finished runner-up to Dembele in last year’s voting.
The Ballon d’Or winner will be announced in London on October 26, with Mbappe seeking to claim the prize for the first time.
