Kylian Mbappe expressed confidence in his candidacy for the prestigious Ballon d’Or award, stating he believes 2026 could be his year to claim the prize. The Real Madrid forward acknowledged that he considers himself among the world’s elite players while recognizing that the final decision rests with voters who will determine the winner.
Mbappe’s case for the award is strengthened by his remarkable World Cup performance, where he became the tournament’s all-time leading goal scorer with 10 goals. Additionally, he topped La Liga’s scoring charts with 25 goals for Real Madrid. However, he remains realistic about potential obstacles to winning, noting that France’s fourth-place World Cup finish and Real Madrid’s lack of major trophies this season may influence voters’ decisions.
The competition for this year’s Ballon d’Or appears particularly wide open, with several strong contenders in the running. Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane, Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, and PSG’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia are among the leading candidates. Mbappe’s own teammate at Real Madrid, Jude Bellingham, has also emerged as a viable contender following an outstanding season.
The Ballon d’Or ceremony will take place on October 26 in London. The award is determined by an international panel of journalists, with each of the top 100 FIFA-ranked nations submitting their top 10 players in ranked order. Mbappe’s career-best finish came in 2023 when he placed third, while last year he finished seventh.
Originally reported by Sports.yahoo →
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