Kylian Mbappé: ‘This could be the year I win the Ballon d’Or’

France international of Cameroonian descent Kylian Mbappé insists 2026 could finally be the year he wins the prestigious Ballon d’Or after making history at the World Cup.

The Real Madrid superstar has never hidden his ambition to claim the individual prize, and his latest comments suggest he believes his performances on the biggest stage have strengthened his case.

“I feel like this year could be the year where I win the Ballon d’Or. I have made a lot of history this summer in the most important competition, the World Cup,” Mbappé said.

The 27-year-old enjoyed a remarkable individual campaign at the tournament, finishing as the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history while also claiming his second Golden Boot.

However, Mbappé’s historic individual achievements were overshadowed by France’s failure to reach the final. Les Bleus were beaten 2-0 by eventual champions Spain in the semi-finals before suffering another defeat to England in the bronze-medal match.

That has left Mbappé with a complicated case for the Ballon d’Or.

While his individual numbers and records are difficult to ignore, the award has traditionally been heavily influenced by major team honours. Real Madrid also ended the previous campaign without a major trophy, potentially weakening his chances against rivals who lifted silverware.

Among the strongest competition is Spain’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, who played a decisive role in his country’s World Cup triumph at just 19.

Lionel Messi is also expected to remain in the conversation after helping Argentina reach the World Cup final in what became his farewell appearance for the national team at the age of 39.

Mbappé, however, has received public backing from his manager José Mourinho, who believes the Ballon d’Or should primarily recognise the best individual player rather than simply reward those who win team trophies.

For Mbappé, the desire to win the award is nothing new. Despite consistently producing world-class performances, the French forward has never lifted the Ballon d’Or, with his previous best finish coming in third place in 2023.

His latest admission therefore offers a rare insight into just how strongly he wants to finally get his hands on the individual prize.

Interestingly, Mbappé admitted after France’s bronze-medal defeat that he would willingly sacrifice the World Cup scoring record if it meant reaching the final.

That statement underlined the mixed emotions surrounding his historic tournament. Despite rewriting the record books and winning another Golden Boot, the ultimate prize of lifting the World Cup remained out of reach.

Now, Mbappé will hope his individual achievements are enough to convince voters that 2026 should finally be the year his name is engraved on the Ballon d’Or.

With the World Cup records, the Golden Boot and another season of elite-level football behind him, the Real Madrid forward clearly believes he has done enough to make his strongest case yet.