Mbappe's 22 Goals Define Ballon d'Or Push
The Real Madrid striker cites record-breaking individual statistics to counter a season devoid of team silverware ahead of Monday's ceremony in London.
By Larissa Shah ·
Kylian Mbappe will arrive in London on Monday for the Ballon d'Or ceremony without a single trophy from the 2025-26 season. He is not the favorite in the betting markets, yet he enters the event armed with a statistical case that he believes is unprecedented in modern football history. The award, which carries no cash prize but elevates a player's market value and status, hinges on individual merit as much as team success.
His primary argument rests on his performance at the 2026 World Cup in North America. Mbappe claimed the Golden Boot for the second consecutive tournament, finishing as the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history with 22 goals in 22 matches. Lionel Messi sits second on that list with 21 goals, while Miroslav Klose is third with 16. Mbappe noted last month that overtaking these legends in the sport's most important competition is a defining achievement. When asked who he would vote for, he answered simply: "Myself."
His club performance reinforced this individual narrative. The former Paris Saint-Germain forward scored 25 goals to finish as the top scorer in La Liga. He also led the scoring charts in the Champions League with 15 goals. Mbappe believes these metrics justify a win, stating, "I was top scorer in all the biggest competitions, and I think that this could be a good year for me, and I really feel it."
The main obstacle to his bid is the absence of team silverware. Real Madrid finished second in La Liga and exited the Champions League in the quarterfinals to Bayern Munich. This result marks a second consecutive season without a major trophy for the club. France also fell short at the World Cup, placing fourth after losses to Spain in the semifinals and England in the third-place playoff.
Rival candidates have stronger trophy hauls. Lamine Yamal won the World Cup with Spain and La Liga with Barcelona. Harry Kane of Bayern Munich collected three trophies, including the Bundesliga title. Despite this, Mbappe remains focused on the individual nature of the prize. He told radio station RFI that the envelope will name a player, not a team, emphasizing that eye-catching individual moments drive voters.
Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has voiced support for the striker. He stated that the team knows who made history this summer, noting that the player is not from PSG or the Spanish national team. This endorsement adds weight to Mbappe's campaign against the backdrop of his team's inconsistent season, which saw managerial changes from Xabi Alonso to Alvaro Arbeloa.
Historical trends suggest Mbappe faces an uphill battle. In the last decade, every winner lifted at least one major trophy. Ousmane Dembele won in 2025 after helping PSG secure their first Champions League title. Rodri won two years prior after capturing Euro 2024 and the Premier League with Manchester City. The last player to win without a major team trophy was Cristiano Ronaldo in 2013, who broke Lionel Messi's four-year streak despite Portugal's early World Cup exit.
Mbappe's situation mirrors Ronaldo's 2013 campaign, when the Portuguese star scored 66 goals for club and country while finishing as league runners-up. That precedent offers a path to victory, even if it is narrow. After nine nominations and a third-place finish in 2023, Mbappe has waited nine years for his moment.
