Kylian Mbappé, the France national team forward, is targeting the 2026 Ballon d'Or after a historic individual season. The Real Madrid star shared his ambitions on Tuesday ahead of a Champions League match, in an interview.
The French attacker scored ten goals at the 2026 World Cup, becoming the tournament's all-time leading scorer. Despite this feat, Les Bleus finished fourth in the competition. Mbappé also netted 25 goals in La Liga for Real Madrid, a club that however failed to lift any major trophies this season.
Kylian Mbappé stated that he considers himself the best player in the world. "I think when you play for Real Madrid, which is the best club in the world, people naturally associate this team with awards, with team prizes, individual awards," he explained. He added that many people on the street speak to him about the Ballon d'Or, a trophy he describes as "a really positive prize for every player".
He acknowledges the vote, organized by France Football, is open. "I have the feeling it's a good year for the Ballon d'Or but there's time left and people can vote freely," he noted. The field is seen as one of the most wide open in years, with contenders like Harry Kane (Bayern Munich and England), Lamine Yamal (FC Barcelona and Spain) and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (PSG).
The France national team is entering a new cycle after the World Cup. In qualification for the 2030 tournament, Les Bleus currently sit top of their group with nine points from three wins in three games. They have scored ten goals and conceded just two, has a +8 goal difference. They lead Norway by three points.
Their last official result was a 4-6 defeat to England in the World Cup semi-final on 18 July 2026. Their recent form shows three consecutive losses followed by two wins (LLLWW). The next challenge is an away fixture against Türkiye, scheduled for 25 September 2026. The squad is dealing with several absentees, including Hugo Ekitiké, Jean-Philippe Mateta, Theo Hernández and William Saliba.
Jose Mourinho, the Real Madrid manager, offered support for his player while adding context. "I've said that there's more than one (candidate) at Real Madrid. Obviously, there's one that has made history forever," the Portuguese coach said. He praised Mbappé's "unbeatable" World Cup record, suggesting no one will break it "in the next World Cup or in eight years".
Mourinho also highlighted the qualities of Jude Bellingham, the England midfielder at Real Madrid, calling him an "absolutely incredible midfield player". This internal competition illustrates the openness of the vote. Last year, Ousmane Dembélé won the Ballon d'Or, while Mbappé finished only seventh. His best-ever finish remains third place in 2023.
Kylian Mbappé already has a long history with individual accolades. He won the Kopa Trophy for the world's best young player in 2018, the same year he helped France win the World Cup. This experience at the highest level builds his current legitimacy.
The 27-year-old insists on the subjective nature of the debate. "I always consider myself the best player in the world. Others may see things differently. It's personal and everyone has their opinion," he emphasized. He is not seeking consensus but believes the journalists who vote "will vote for whoever they think is the best player in the world".
The match in Türkiye on 25 September is the next step for the national team as they look to stays at the top of the qualifying standings.
