Mbappe’s Real Madrid revival adds fresh weight to Ballon d’Or case

Kylian Mbappe has underlined his determination to win the Ballon d’Or after opening the new season with a hat-trick for Real Madrid against Real Sociedad at Santiago Bernabeu.

The France forward, the all-time leading scorer at the World Cup and the top scorer in La Liga for each of the past two seasons, has continued to show the finishing form that has made him one of the leading candidates for the prestigious individual award.

Major honours have proved elusive for Mbappe, but he has refused to allow that disappointment to derail his ambitions. His performance in the opening match of the season in front of the Real Madrid supporters offered an immediate reminder of his influence.

Spanish newspaper AS reported that the three goals moved Mbappe back to the centre of the Ballon d’Or debate. The article also referred to the most recent World Cup, in which Spain prevented the France international from delivering the decisive blow against their opponents.

Mbappe scored 58 goals last season. Forty-two came in 44 appearances for Real Madrid, while the remaining 16 were scored for France. His international form helped him claim the Golden Boot at the latest World Cup.

The Frenchman and his Real Madrid team-mates have recognised that collective effort is the only route to winning major trophies and individual prizes. That team-first approach is a principle Jose Mourinho has successfully instilled in a squad that appears to have rediscovered its key strength.

Old disagreements have faded from view, with the close relationships formed during the first two competitive matches of the campaign providing evidence of a changed atmosphere. The mutual celebrations and embraces between players have been particularly telling, while Mourinho has publicly demonstrated complete confidence in the former Paris Saint-Germain forward.

Mbappe is understood to be the first to acknowledge how much he depends on the team around him if he is to maintain his impressive numbers and move closer to the Ballon d’Or he has long sought.

With no obvious runaway favourite, the France striker is continuing to make his case to the voters responsible for selecting the winner. The successor to the current holder, Ousmane Dembele, is due to be announced on 27 October, two months from now, unless the France forward manages to retain the award.

The Ballon d’Or ceremony will be held in London this year. Although players are supposed to be judged on their performances up to 19 July, the events of the new season are expected to influence the 100 journalists who make up the voting panel.

The precise priorities of those voters remain unclear. They may place greater emphasis on the UEFA Champions League, the World Cup, the full season, the opening weeks of the new campaign, or trophies won with club and country.

Mbappe is among the names most frequently mentioned by supporters, alongside Rodri, Harry Kane, Fabian Ruiz and Lamine Yamal. Every factor can improve or damage a player’s prospects, but none is guaranteed to decide the outcome on its own.

There is an expectation that the winner could come from the squad of the world champions, based on what happened on American soil. However, the 2010 award showed that winning the World Cup is not always decisive.

France Football’s editorial staff are preparing to publish a 30-player shortlist in the coming days. The eventual winner will be selected from that group.

All of the leading contenders know that the next few weeks could have a significant impact on the vote. Strong early-season numbers and important contributions to club victories can strengthen a candidate’s position, and Mbappe is currently benefiting from an exceptionally high level of finishing accuracy.