Mbappe Confident of Ballon d’Or Chances After Strong Scoring Season

Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail

LONDON: Real Madrid and France forward Kylian Mbappe has expressed confidence about his chances of winning the Ballon d’Or after finishing as the leading scorer in several major competitions.

The 27-year-old was the top scorer at the 2026 World Cup, as well as in the previous season’s Champions League and La Liga.

Mbappe scored 25 goals in La Liga, 15 in the Champions League and 10 at the World Cup. His World Cup tally also took his career total in the tournament to 22 goals, making him the competition’s all-time leading scorer.

Speaking to RFI radio, Mbappe said individual performances and memorable moments are important factors when voters consider the award.

He added that finishing as the leading scorer in the major competitions had given him confidence that he could have a strong case for the prize.

Despite his individual numbers, Mbappe did not win a major trophy during the period under consideration. France were eliminated in the World Cup semi-finals, while Real Madrid finished second in La Liga and were knocked out of the Champions League by Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals.

The Ballon d’Or race also includes several players who enjoyed major team success during the year.

Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres won both La Liga and the World Cup, while Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembele and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia lifted the Ligue 1 and Champions League titles.

Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane is another contender after helping the German club win the Bundesliga.

Mbappe has previously played for Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain but has yet to win the Ballon d’Or.