Kylian Mbappé believes 2026 could be the year he wins his first Ballon d’Or after making history at the 2026 World Cup by becoming the tournament’s all-time top scorer.
“When you play for Real Madrid, the best club in the world, you are naturally associated with these kinds of individual awards. When people meet me in the street, they talk about me as a potential Ballon d’Or winner. It’s true that I made history this summer in the most prestigious competition in world sport, so I feel that this may be the right year to win it,” Mbappé said at a press conference on the eve of Real Madrid’s Champions League opener against Inter Milan.
“But the process is still long, and journalists are free to vote for whoever they consider to be the best player in the world,” he added.
With no clear favorite, the France captain is among the leading contenders after also becoming his country’s all-time top scorer this summer. He faces competition from 2025 winner Ousmane Dembélé, Bayern Munich’s England striker Harry Kane, Spanish World Cup winner Rodri and Paris Saint-Germain players Fabian Ruiz and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
His coach José Mourinho said last week that the former PSG forward deserved to win the award, while PSG coach Luis Enrique believes it should go to one of his players, who are two-time European champions.
In another answer, Mbappé said he still considers himself the best player in the world, while acknowledging that “everyone has their own opinion.”
The France forward also spoke about the team’s World Cup semifinal defeat to Spain, admitting that the loss had been particularly difficult to accept.
“It was a difficult moment, yes. I don’t know if it was the hardest, because I also lost a World Cup final (2022) and a Champions League final (2020). This World Cup was a really great competition because of the connection we created with our country. People enjoyed the way we played, the atmosphere and energy the team gave off, and the image we presented of France to the whole world,” he said.
“We really wanted to win. But we have already won a World Cup (in 2018), we can’t always win it. Whether we win or lose, we always have that hunger to win, because the day we lose that desire will be the day we retire,” Mbappé concluded.
