Mbappe makes public push for 2026 Ballon dOr

Kylian Mbappé has made a public push for the 2026 Ballon d'Or, telling French broadcaster RFI that he would be disappointed not to win the award and that he feels it is a good year for him. The Real Madrid and France forward is among the 30 finalists shortlisted by France Football, with voting already underway ahead of the gala ceremony in London on October 26, 2026. Mbappé's case rests largely on his individual scoring record. According to the nomination dossier cited in reporting, he finished as the top scorer in La Liga, the Champions League and the 2026 World Cup during the 2025-26 season, scoring 25 league goals, 15 in the Champions League and 10 at the World Cup. His World Cup tally lifted him past Lionel Messi as the tournament's all-time leading scorer, with 22 career goals at the finals. The individual numbers come without a team trophy to match. France finished fourth at the World Cup after losing in the semifinals, Real Madrid placed second in La Liga, and the club was eliminated in the Champions League quarterfinals by Bayern Munich.