Kylian Mbappe enjoyed a strong summer campaign with France at the World Cup, leading the Real Madrid forward to believe he is a frontrunner to win the 2026 Ballon d'Or. With the 2026 Ballon d’Or winner set to be announced in a few weeks, Kylian Mbappe believes there should not be much debate, positioning himself as a top frontrunner to secure the award. Speaking to L’Equipe, the Real Madrid star was asked about his chances for the 2026 Ballon d’Or. He did not hesitate to state that he believes he deserves the honor following his historic performances with France at the World Cup. “Who’d I vote for the Ballon d’Or? I’d vote for me,” Mbappe said. “It is individual award. We look at what the player has done individually. When we look at the arguments… I look, and I say to myself that yeah… it wouldn’t be stolen. “Being the top scorer of all biggest competitions, where the best players play… the UCL, the World Cup… I don’t know if anyone did it before. I believe that making history should always be rewarded.” A race full of stars Mbappe scored 10 goals for France at the 2026 World Cup, securing the Golden Boot after finishing two goals clear of Lionel Messi atop the goalscoring charts. Kylian Mbappe #10 of France. However, Mbappe is not the only player who had a standout summer. Messi contributed eight goals and four assists while leading Argentina to the final, where they ultimately fell to Spain. Spain boast another major contender in Lamine Yamal. While his individual stats at the tournament were modest, winning the World Cup as a 19-year-old starter is a historic achievement that voters will not overlook. Meanwhile, PSG feature several stars who deserve consideration, including 2025 Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele and Fabian Ruiz, who accomplished the rare feat of winning both the 2025–26 UEFA Champions League and the 2026 World Cup in the same year.
Chelsea showed late interest in Fulham's Sander Berge as they attempted to strengthen their midfield options before Enzo Fernandez's departure. The Blues intended to sign a central midfielder in the closing days of the summer transfer window as they prepared for Fernandez to join Manchester City.
JACK GAUGHAN IN PORTO: Midfield was clearly the area identified as the one requiring most surgery. Anderson's early displays suggest he is picking up from where he left off with England.
Tap a headline to view metadata and excerpt fields in Sportra, then use the article website button to continue on the original publisher page.
