58 goals and World Cup top scorer: Mbappé emerges as Ballon d'Or favourite

Kylian Mbappé has established himself as one of the leading contenders for the Ballon d’Or thanks to an exceptional 2025-2026 season: 58 goals across all competitions, a World Cup Golden Boot with ten goals, and a strong start to the new Liga campaign that confirms his brilliant form. The ceremony will be held on 26 October in London, for the first time in the United Kingdom.

Over the course of the completed season, the French striker scored 42 goals in a Real Madrid shirt and 16 with the France national team. These figures place him among the most prolific players on the planet, and his status as the World Cup’s top scorer further strengthens an already solid individual candidacy.

The main obstacle remains the collective record. Real Madrid did not win the major trophies expected last season, and individual distinctions like the Ballon d’Or traditionally place significant weight on club success. Mbappé therefore does not currently possess the most convincing collective honours among the contenders.

According to sports daily AS, an awareness has nonetheless taken hold in the Madrid dressing room in recent weeks. Mbappé is said to have understood that his personal ambitions — including the Ballon d’Or — will depend on strengthened collective involvement from the entire squad. The history of the award has already shown that an exceptional individual season could be enough to clinch the decision, and the French forward intends to rely on this reality to remain in contention until the end.