2026 Ballon d’Or: There’s no one better – Mbappe picks player to win award

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe expressed his belief in winning the Ballon d'Or award despite the club's barren season, in an interview with France Football. The 27-year-old French forward, who scored 22 goals this year in total, including 15 in the Champions League and 25 in La Liga, argued that he deserved recognition as the world's best player amid his team's semi-final loss to Spain in the World Cup.

Mbappe praised new France coach Zinedine Zidane, describing him as a nation icon and someone who embodied French football's elegance and greatness. The forward emphasized that winning the Ballon d'Or is an individual award, and that it's always a possibility that someone believes the winner didn't deserve it, as no player has ever been elected unanimously.

Mbappe credited the "Messi and Ronaldo era" for his concept of the Ballon d'Or, stating that winners are those who stand out in a different way. He cited his all-time leading goal tally in major competitions and his performance at the World Cup, where he became the competition's all-time leading scorer, as standout achievements that set him apart.