Ballon d’Or 2026: Can Kylian Mbappe’s Real Madrid and France record win it?

He may not be the bookmakers’ favourite or last season’s top goalscorer, but Kylian Mbappe has left no stone unturned in his media push to win the upcoming Ballon d’Or.

The 2025-26 season, on which the award is judged, left the Real Madrid talisman without a trophy for club or country.

On an individual note, however, the France captain set records, which he hopes will finally land him the coveted award that carries no cash prize but, alongside the accolade, increases a player’s worth and status.

“Being the all-time top scorer in World Cup history, overtaking all the great legends in the history of the sport in the most important tournament there is, is something that really stands out,” Mbappe said last month.

“Who am I voting for? Myself.”

In an award voted for entirely by journalists, Mbappe believes he is the most deserving contender in the run-up to Monday’s ceremony in London.

But how does his performance compare with other shortlisted nominees? Al Jazeera breaks it down:

World Cup exploits with France headline Mbappe’s bid

The 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America marked another spectacular individual campaign for Mbappe, who not only won the Golden Boot for the top scorer for the second successive campaign but also became the all-time top scorer in World Cup history.

His 22 World Cup goals in as many matches keep him at the top of a star-studded list that includes Argentina’s legend Lionel Messi in second place on 21 and German ex-international Miroslav Klose third on 16.

Madrid see a Real return from Mbappe

Beyond international duty, Mbappe also enjoyed an excellent individual campaign with his club, Real. His tally of 25 goals earned him the honour of La Liga’s top scorer, while he was also the Champions League’s leading marksman with 15 goals.

Those numbers have made Mbappe confident he will win the prestigious Ballon d’Or for the first time.

“I was top scorer in all the biggest competitions, and I think that this could be a good year for me, and I really feel it,” the ex-PSG star said.

No silverware weakens Mbappe’s case

Despite Mbappe’s solo brilliance, there is nothing in his trophy cabinet from last season to put forth a strong case.

Amid a turbulent campaign first under Xabi Alonso and then Alvaro Arbeloa, Real finished second in La Liga and were bundled out of the Champions League by Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals, leaving Mbappe and Los Blancos ending a second straight season without major trophies.

To make things worse, France came fourth at the World Cup after losing to Spain in the semifinals and England in the third-place playoff.

Even though Mbappe was often the lone hero in many of Real or France’s games, he failed to win a trophy, unlike his close contenders Lamine Yamal, who won the World Cup with Spain and La Liga with Barcelona, and Bayern’s Harry Kane, whose three trophies last term include a Bundesliga title.

Mbappe shrugs off trophyless season for France and Real Madrid

Those differences do not seem to bother Mbappe, though.

“They won’t announce a team in the envelope; they will announce a player,” Mbappe told RFI radio station, referring to the Ballon d’Or ceremony.

“The ability to perform individually and produce eye-catching moments – that’s what stands out to people for an award like this.”

While Mbappe’s self-promotion has been rampant in recent months, his club manager, Jose Mourinho, has also backed the 2018 World Cup winner.

“We know who has made history this summer, and he’s not from PSG or the Spanish national team,” Mourinho said.

History suggests trophies matter in Ballon d’Or triumph

Over the last decade, every Ballon d’Or winner won at least one trophy during the years they were crowned the best player.

Ousmane Dembele, the 2025 winner, enjoyed a trophy haul that included leading PSG to their first-ever Champions League title, while Spain’s midfield maestro Rodri won the Euro 2024 with Spain and the Premier League with Manchester City among his accolades when he was named the Ballon d’Or winner two years ago.

The last time a player won the Ballon d’Or without a major trophy in his cabinet was in 2013 and coincidentally featured another Real player: Cristiano Ronaldo.

At that time, Ronaldo lifted his second Ballon d’Or, also ending Messi’s four-year winning streak.

The forward earned the award purely for his individual brilliance, scoring 66 goals for club and country, in a season when Portugal failed to progress beyond the 2012 World Cup playoffs and Real were the league’s runners-up.

Ronaldo’s 2013 triumph proves that while odds are not in Mbappe’s favour, he still has a slim chance.

After nine nominations and a third-place finish in 2023, many would argue that Mbappe’s moment to kiss the coveted Ballon d’Or trophy is long overdue.