Can Mbappe win the Ballon d'Or without a trophy? Records fuel the French star's belief, with Yamal and Kane in his way
Despite not winning silverware last season, Kylian Mbappe has been clear that his goal is to clinch the Ballon d'Or. He may not be the bookmakers' favourite or last season's top scorer overall, but the Real Madrid talisman has left no stone unturned in his media push ahead of Monday's ceremony in London.
The 2025-26 season, on which the award is judged, left Mbappe 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 — one that carries no cash prize but increases a player's worth and status.
Last month Mbappe said that being the all-time top scorer in World Cup history, overtaking all the great legends in the most important tournament there is, really stands out.
In an award voted for entirely by journalists, Mbappe believes he is the most deserving contender. The 2026 World Cup in North America marked another spectacular individual campaign: he won the Golden Boot as top scorer for the second successive tournament and became the all-time top scorer in World Cup history.
His 22 World Cup goals in as many matches keep him top of a star-studded list, ahead of Argentina legend Lionel Messi in second place on 21 and Germany's former international Miroslav Klose third on 16.
Beyond international duty, Mbappe also enjoyed an excellent individual campaign with Real. His tally of 25 goals earned him La Liga's top-scorer honour, while he was also the Champions League's leading marksman with 15 goals.
Those numbers have made Mbappe confident of winning the prestigious award for the first time. He has said he was top scorer in all the biggest competitions and feels this could be a good year for him.
Despite that solo brilliance, there is nothing in his trophy cabinet from last season to support 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, ending a second straight season without major trophies.
France also came fourth at the World Cup after losing to Spain in the semifinals and England in the third-place playoff. By contrast, his close contenders Lamine Yamal won the World Cup with Spain and La Liga with Barcelona, and Bayern's Harry Kane won three trophies last term including a Bundesliga title.
Those differences do not seem to bother Mbappe. He told radio that they will not announce a team in the envelope, they will announce a player, and that the ability to perform individually and produce eye-catching moments is what stands out for an award like this.
His club manager, Jose Mourinho, has also backed the 2018 World Cup winner, saying everyone knows who made history this summer, and that he is not from PSG or the Spanish national team.
History offers one caution: over the last decade, every Ballon d'Or winner won at least one trophy in the year they were crowned. Ousmane Dembele, the 2025 winner, led PSG to their first Champions League title among a trophy haul, while Rodri won Euro 2024 with Spain and the Premier League with Manchester City when he won two years ago.
The last player to win without a major trophy was another Real player, Cristiano Ronaldo, in 2013. Ronaldo lifted his second Ballon d'Or purely for individual brilliance, scoring 66 goals for club and country, ending Messi's four-year winning streak. That triumph proves Mbappe still has a slim chance — after nine nominations and a third-place finish in 2023, many would argue his moment is long overdue.
