Kylian Mbappé has said he is capable of winning the Ballon d’Or in 2026 as long as he makes his performances strong, even if he does not have a great team to win a major trophy.
The Real Madrid and France forward told France Football in his interview ahead of the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony. Mbappé argued that the award is an individual prize and should not automatically go to a player simply because his club or country won silverware.
Mbappé: “There Was No Player Better Than Me”
When Mbappé was asked whether he thought he was worthy to win the award, he had an emphatic reply.
His France captain said there was no player better than him when it came to individual accomplishments. He described his goalscoring record over Europe’s biggest competitions and his historic performance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup as well.
Mbappé also argued that the Ballon d'Or should reward players who produce extraordinary individual performances rather than simply reward the team that wins the most trophies.
Record-Breaking World Cup Achievement
The best part of Mbappé’s argument is his World Cup record.
Now he has 22 goals in the World Cup, making him the all-time highest scorer of the tournament. He went past Lionel Messi's previous tally during France's 2026 campaign.
For Mbappé, however, the fact he is on the verge of overtaking Messi in the biggest football tournament in the world is of special significance.
He described the World Cup as the stage where the greatest players in football history are judged and argued that becoming its leading scorer at only 27 is an achievement that should carry substantial weight in the Ballon d’Or voting.
Strong Numbers for Real Madrid
Mbappé’s club statistics also strengthen his case.
He scored 25 goals in La Liga and 15 goals in the Champions League during the season. That’s a measure of his consistency at the club, even though Real Madrid finished the campaign without a major trophy.
His Champions League scoring form also helped him to win the competition’s Golden Boot, adding another individual award to his résumé.
The Trophy Problem
But Mbappé's biggest obstacle remains the lack of team silverware.
Real Madrid ended the season without a major trophy, while France’s World Cup campaign ended with a 2-0 semi-final defeat to Spain. So many of Mbappé’s major Ballon d’Or rivals have stronger claims if team success is taken into account.
That is why the 2026 Ballon d'Or race will be so interesting: can extraordinary individual statistics outweigh the absence of trophies?
Mbappé clearly believes the answer is yes.
Mbappé Backs His Own Case
Mbappé said his knowledge of the Ballon d'Or was influenced by the era of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, when the award was frequently won by players who showed outstanding performances.
His argument is straightforward: if the award is meant to identify the world's best individual player, his goals, records and World Cup achievements should be seen alongside not below team trophies.
The Ballon d’Or voters will make the final decision; however, Mbappé has made his position crystal clear: he isn’t just a player to be considered as a candidate; he believes he was the best player of the season.
