‘I believe I can win the Ballon d’Or this year’ – Mbappé confident

Kylian Mbappé believes he has a strong chance of winning the 2026 Ballon d’Or after a record-breaking World Cup campaign with France.

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Speaking about his chances of winning football’s most prestigious individual award, the Real Madrid forward pointed to what he achieved at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Mbappé added that the final decision will not be in his hands, as the award is decided by journalists.

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Mbappé had an outstanding 2026 World Cup, scoring 10 goals in eight matches for France and winning the adidas Golden Boot as the tournament's top scorer. The 10 goals took his career World Cup total to 22, making him the competition's all-time leading scorer ahead of Messi.

He also became France's all-time leading goalscorer during the tournament. A brace against Senegal in France's opening match took his international tally to 58 goals, moving him past Olivier Giroud.

Despite Mbappé's individual performances, France finished fourth at the World Cup after losing 6-4 to England in the third-place play-off.

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His club form also adds to his case. Mbappé finished the 2025/26 season as La Liga's top scorer with 25 goals and was the Champions League's leading scorer with 15 goals. He scored 42 goals in 44 matches across all competitions.

The 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony is scheduled for October 26 in London, with the nominees set to be announced on September 8. The men's winner will succeed Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembélé, who won the 2025 award.