Kylian Mbappe has urged the Ballon d’Or to return to Real Madrid, saying supporters at the Bernabeu “deserve it more than anyone” ahead of next month’s ceremony.
Mbappe is among the 30 nominees for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, with the award to be presented at the London Palladium. However, his hopes of winning the prize have been seriously weakened after he ended last season without silverware alongside his Real Madrid and France team-mates.
The France forward has never won the Ballon d’Or. His highest finish came in 2023, when he placed third, and he is ranked behind Harry Kane and Lamine Yamal among this year’s leading contenders.
Mbappe enjoyed several individual successes last season, winning the World Cup and the La Liga Golden Boot. But he went trophyless during the campaign, a setback that has ultimately damaged his prospects of claiming the award.
Speaking about the prize, Mbappe said his priority was to see it return to the Spanish club and its supporters.
“I really want the Ballon d’Or to return to Real Madrid,” Mbappe said. “It needs to come back to the Bernabeu, to the Madridistas, to return for all those people and give them something to be excited about. They deserve it more than anyone.”
The 27-year-old also suggested his performances on the pitch would provide the strongest argument for his candidacy, rather than his own comments about his chances.
“In my opinion, this is a good year to win it,” he said. “My feet are my best advocates, more so than anything I might say!”
Mbappe’s campaign brought strong personal recognition, with the La Liga Golden Boot and World Cup success listed among his achievements. Nevertheless, the absence of team trophies with Real Madrid and France has left him behind Kane and Yamal in the current ranking.
The Ballon d’Or will be awarded next month at the London Palladium, where Mbappe will discover whether his individual performances have been enough to overcome the lack of silverware.
A victory would be Mbappe’s first in the award’s history and would also fulfil his wish of bringing the honour back to the Bernabeu and the Madridistas. For now, though, the prize remains one that has eluded the Real Madrid forward, whose best previous result was third place in 2023.