Kylian Mbappe reveals his 2026 Ballon d'Or vote as major issue with award explained
Kylian Mbappe has named the player he believes deserves to win the 2026 Ballon d'Or while revealing the one issue he has with the prestigious award.
In just over one month, the 70th edition of the Ballon d'Or ceremony will take place on 26 October in London, with some of the biggest names in football believed to be in contention.
Mbappe, who enjoyed a fantastic World Cup with France this summer, is likely to be right at the top of the Ballon d'Or rankings this year, and when asked for his vote, he unsurprisingly backed himself.
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Kylian Mbappe explains why he deserves to win the Ballon d'Or
On September 8 the shortlist of the 30 players nominated for the Men’s Ballon d’Or, and all of the other awards for the evening, will officially be announced.
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Of course, Mbappe will certainly be one of the 30 men to make it onto the shortlist, and he thinks that this year might finally be his time to win the biggest individual award in the sport.
"I have a feeling that I am capable of winning it this year, and that is why I have not moved away from this goal," Mbappe said via Marca newspaper, ahead of an interview that France Football will broadcast this weekend.
"Who will I vote for? Myself, Mbappe bluntly added.
"But I understand those who vote differently, we are not in a dictatorship of thought. When I look at the arguments, and when I look at the competition, I tell myself that my winning the award would not be a theft."
Alongside Mbappe, players like France teammates Michael Olise and Ousmane Dembele as well as Barcelona star Lamine Yamal and England captain Harry Kane are among the favourites to win this year's award.
With 42 goals in 44 appearances for Real Madrid last season and golden boot awards at both the World Cup and Champions League with 10 and 15 goals respectively, it's no surprise that Mbappe is so confidently backing himself for the Ballon d'Or.
But there is one major thing that could hold him back this year, and Mbappe's explained why he disagrees with it as a factor in the voting.
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Kylian Mbappe reveals the one issue with the Ballon d'Or award
Despite Mbappe's stunning individual season, his failure to collect any silverware in the 2025/26 season will likely be the main case against him winning the Ballon d'Or this year.
Real Madrid did not win a major trophy last season and, to the surprise of many, France did not reach the World Cup final, leaving Mbappe trophyless for both club and country.
But, the 27-year-old doesn't think this should hold him back, as he explained the focus on silverware is something that people tend to focus on too much ahead of the Ballon d'Or ceremony.
"It is an individual award, and what the player has produced at an individual level is what is considered," he claimed.
"People say I have not won titles, but I have never seen a unanimous Ballon d'Or given to a player who achieved everything every time.
"I do not know if there has ever been a player who won it with 100% of the votes, and that means there is always someone who feels he did not deserve it.
"To become the all-time top scorer at the World Cup, and to surpass all the great legends of the sport throughout history in the most important tournament in existence, is something that draws attention, a global event.
He continued: "To finish major competitions as top scorer, where the best players in the world take part, is important. History must always be rewarded."
As it stands, Kane is the favourite to win the Ballon d'Or this year, teeing him up to be the first Englishman to do so since Michael Owen in 2001 and only fifth of all-time.
With Bayern Munich last season, the Premier League legend won the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and German Super Cup, scoring 61 goals in 51 Bayern appearances, 36 of which were in the Bundesliga, earning him the European Golden Shoe.
In the Champions League, he scored just one less goal than Mbappe, while scoring six World Cup goals as England finished third, the country’s best finish since winning the competition in 1966.
Topics: Kylian Mbappe, Ballon d'Or, Football News, Real Madrid, Football
Ben McCrum