Ballon d’Or 2026: Can Kylian Mbappe’s Real Madrid and France record win it?

He may not be the bookmakers’ favourite or last season’s top goalscorer, but Kylian Mbappe has left no stone unturned in his media push to win the upcoming Ballon d’Or.The 2025-26 season, on which the award is judged, left the Real Madrid talisman without a trophy for club or country.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Man United’s Carrick not worried about his job despite ‘unacceptable’ losslist 2 of 4Man United captain Fernandes slams Carrick’s tactics after Como hammeringlist 3 of 4Egypt’s Hassan and Zico suspended over FIFA World Cup refereeing criticismlist 4 of 4Ronaldo banned for 30 days, fined $285 over spat with coach Jesusend of listOn an individual note, however, the France captain set records, which he hopes will finally land him the coveted award that carries no cash prize but, alongside the accolade, increases a player’s worth and status.“Being the all-time top scorer in World Cup history, overtaking all the great legends in the history of the sport in the most important tournament there is, is something that really stands out,” Mbappe said last month.“Who am I voting for? Myself.”In an award voted for entirely by journalists, Mbappe believes he is the most ...