Top 5 Favorites for the 2026 Ballon d'Or

Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe expressed on Monday that it's natural for people to view him as a possible Ballon d'Or contender following his impressive performance in the 2022 World Cup. The France captain scored 10 goals in the tournament to secure the Golden Boot, and his country finished a respectable fourth place. Mbappe, 27, has now become the all-time top scorer in the World Cup with an incredible 22 goals.

The young star, who has yet to win the prestigious trophy awarded to the world's best player, discussed the pressure of being associated with such an award when playing for the world's best club, Real Madrid. He acknowledged that many people, particularly those who see him in the street, talk about him as a potential Ballon d'Or winner.

While Mbappe praised his summer's accomplishments in the World Cup, he was candid about Real Madrid's ongoing struggles in securing major trophies. He admitted that the team, featuring several star players like himself and Vinicius Junior, is still unbalanced and needs improvement. Mbappe admitted that the club has to work harder to win titles, but insisted that scoring more goals is not the only way to achieve success.

When asked if he would accept fewer goals if it meant winning trophies, Mbappe acknowledged that it's possible, but emphasized that the two goals are not mutually exclusive. He firmly stated that he wants to score goals and win titles simultaneously, and that a person should not have to choose between the two.