A domestic double winner, the Bundesliga Player of the Season and the leading assist provider at the FIFA World Cup: Michael Olise's 2025/26 campaign was certainly one to remember. With several game-winning moments to match his remarkable numbers, the Bayern Munich winger has every reason to be eyeing the 2026 Ballon d’Or.
Kylian Mbappe reached the top 5 in the all-time Champions League goalscoring table after his goal against Inter Milan, closing in on legends Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Kylian Mbappe has established himself as the premier forward of his generation, shattering records across European competitions. With his latest strike against Inter Milan, Mbappe moved closer to Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi by breaking into the top five of the UEFA Champions League‘s all-time goalscoring list. For their 2026-27 campaign opener, Real Madrid faced a challenging test against Inter Milan at the Santiago Bernabeu, with the Italian side controlling long stretches of possession. However, capitalizing on a defensive error from Yann Bisseck during build-up play, Real Madrid recovered the ball deep in enemy territory before Brahim Diaz delivered a precise pass to Mbappe, who clinically finished on his first shot in the 14th minute. His strike against Inter Milan brought Kylian Mbappe to 71 career Champions League goals across his tenures with AS Monaco, PSG, and Real Madrid. By doing so, he drew level with Los Blancos legend Raul Gonzalez Blanco for fifth place on the competition’s all-time scoring chart. Prior to kickoff, Mbappe received the Golden Boot trophy honoring him as the top goalscorer of the previous Champions League campaign, where he recorded 15 goals in 11 matches. Finding the net immediately in the opener against formidable opposition like Inter Milan sets the stage for another historic campaign for the French superstar. Kylian Mbappe and Arda Guler with the Golden Boot and Revelation award. (Angel Martinez/Getty Images) Mbappe still far from the top 3 Having established himself as the all-time leading goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history following his performances in 2026, Mbappe now targets the highest peak in European club soccer. Nevertheless, he remains well adrift of the coveted top three, a benchmark requiring multiple seasons to reach. While Cristiano Ronaldo (140 goals) and Lionel Messi (129 goals) sit atop the Champions League leaderboard, Robert Lewandowski occupies third place with 109 goals. Currently tied with Raul, the next target in Mbappe’s sightline is former teammate Karim Benzema, who holds fourth place with 90 goals. When could Mbappe reach Messi and Ronaldo? Currently, Kylian Mbappe’s Champions League portfolio stands at 71 goals through 99 appearances, reflecting an elite scoring clip of 0.72 goals per match. While that efficiency ranks among the greatest in history, maintaining his current pace means Mbappe will require several seasons to surpass the top two. With Messi standing at 129 goals—58 ahead of Mbappe’s current mark—the French forward would need approximately 81 additional matches at his current scoring rate to catch the Argentine icon. To reach Cristiano Ronaldo’s record tally of 140 goals, Mbappe would require 96 additional appearances to match the Portuguese legend’s mark. Top 10 Champions League all-time goalscorers RankPlayerTeamsGoals1stCristiano RonaldoManchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus140 goals2ndLionel MessiBarcelona, PSG129 goals3rdRobert LewandowskiBorussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Barcelona109 goals4thKarim BenzemaOlympique Lyon, Real Madrid90 goals5thRaul Gonzalez Real Madrid, Schalke 0471 goals5thKylian MbappeAS Monaco, PSG, Real Madrid71 goals7thErling HaalandRB Salzburg, Borussia Dortmund, Manchester City57 goals7thThomas MullerMunich57 goals9thRuud van NistelrooyPSV Eindhoven, Manchester United, Real Madrid56 goals10thHarry KaneTottenham Hotspur, Bayern Munich54 goals
⚽ Champions League news from the 5.45pm BST kick-off⚽ Live scores | Follow us on Instagram | Read Football DailyHarry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice have been nominated for this year’s men’s Ballon d’Or while Alessia Russo and Alex Greenwood have been nominated for the women’s award.The 30 men’s and 30 women’s nominees were revealed by France Football magazine on Tuesday, with the winners to be announced at a ceremony in London on 26 October. Ousmane Dembélé, who won the men’s award last year, has been nominated again, as has his France teammate Kylian Mbappé, who made history when he overtook Lionel Messi for all-time World Cup goals (22) at this summer’s tournament. Continue reading...
Eight-time laureate Lionel Messi is in the 30-man shortlist for the 2026 Men's Ballon d'Or, with Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappé among the favourites to succeed France's Ousmane Dembélé. Cape Verde's Vozinha has been shortlisted for the goalkeepers' Yashin Trophy after his heroics at the recent World Cup.
When asked to name his top three candidates for the 2026 Ballon d'Or, Ousmane Dembele left out Lamine Yamal. Now, the Barcelona star has responded with a clear message that includes Kylian Mbappe. With the 2026 Ballon d’Or shortlist finalized, several players have been asked to name their top candidates. After Ousmane Dembele left Lamine Yamal off his ballot, the Barcelona winger offered a swift response. On Tuesday, Dembele was asked to reveal his top three picks for the 2026 Ballon d’Or. The PSG winger selected Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Harry Kane, and Kylian Mbappe. The omission of Yamal surprised many, including Yamal himself. Asked about Dembele’s picks a few hours later, the Barcelona star responded with a gentle jab aimed at Mbappe. “He is good friends with Kylian, right?” Yamal answered with a laugh. “I’m very happy with the season I had. I think every time we faced each other, I probably did something that made them dislike me! And that’s normal. My relationship with Ousmane is very good, and I understand that he wants to choose other players. But I’m very happy with what I delivered this year, and I’m confident that everyone watched it, even if he didn’t.” Lamine Yamal unfazed by individual awards With the 2026 Ballon d’Or shortlist officially released—featuring Lionel Messi while omitting Cristiano Ronaldo—speculation has intensified over who will claim this year’s honor. Lionel Messi attends the 67th Ballon D’Or Ceremony Yamal is widely considered a frontrunner following a stellar season with FC Barcelona and a summer campaign that saw him lift the 2026 World Cup trophy with Spain at just 19 years old. Nevertheless, the young winger insists the outcome is out of his hands. “I’m not gonna campaign for anything. I won’t be begging to win anything… the Ballon d’Or is up to you [journalists], not me,” Yamal said. “We had a great year with Barça and the national team. That makes me proud.” Meanwhile, Kylian Mbappe recently declared himself the favorite for the award on the back of his 10-goal performance at the World Cup, highlighting just how competitive this year’s race has become.
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