Kylian Mbappe’s hopes of winning the 2026 Ballon d’Or have suffered a major blow after some members of the voting panel suggested Harry Kane and Lamine Yamal may now be ahead of him.
Mbappe Receives Major Ballon d’Or Blow as Voters Share Worrying Verdict
Kylian Mbappe has received worrying news ahead of the 2026 Ballon d’Or after some members of the voting panel suggested he may not even finish inside the top three.
The Real Madrid superstar entered the race with one of the strongest individual records in world football.
However, new comments from journalists involved in the Ballon d’Or voting process have created serious doubts over his chances of winning the award.
Harry Kane and Lamine Yamal are now appearing more regularly among the leading names mentioned by voters.
Ballon d’Or voters discuss Mbappe
Cadena SER recently spoke to several journalists who are part of the 100-person Ballon d’Or voting panel.
The voters are not allowed to reveal their official ballots because of confidentiality agreements.
However, they were able to discuss their general impressions of the race.
The most worrying detail for Mbappe was that he did not appear consistently in their predicted top three.
Some voters leave Mbappe outside top three
Mbappe was still named among the leading candidates by some of the journalists.
Some placed him first, second or third.
But others suggested he could finish outside the podium completely.
That is a major warning for a player who had been considered one of the strongest Ballon d’Or candidates throughout the year.
Kane and Yamal appear more consistently
Two names appeared much more regularly in the predictions.
Harry Kane and Lamine Yamal were repeatedly included among the top positions.
That has created the feeling that the Ballon d’Or race could now be turning into a battle between Kane and Yamal.
Other names such as Lionel Messi, Rodri and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia were also mentioned in some predictions.
Mbappe’s lack of major trophies could hurt him
One of the biggest problems for Mbappe appears to be his lack of major team trophies during the period considered for the award.
His individual numbers have been extraordinary.
But Real Madrid and France did not provide him with the same level of team success enjoyed by some of his rivals.
That could become a decisive factor when voters compare the leading candidates.
Mbappe still has incredible individual numbers
Despite the worrying voting signals, Mbappe’s personal season has been exceptional.
He finished as the top scorer at the 2026 World Cup with 10 goals.
He also led the scoring charts in both La Liga and the Champions League during the 2025-26 season.
Mbappe scored 25 league goals and 15 times in the Champions League for Real Madrid.
Those numbers give him one of the strongest individual cases in the Ballon d’Or race.
World Cup record strengthens Mbappe case
Mbappe also made history with France at the World Cup.
His 10 goals earned him the Golden Boot.
He also became the first player to finish as the tournament’s top scorer at two consecutive World Cups.
His World Cup performances are one of the biggest reasons he remains a serious Ballon d’Or contender.
Yamal has a strong trophy advantage
Lamine Yamal has another major advantage in the race.
The Barcelona star combined brilliant individual performances with important team success.
His achievements with Spain and Barcelona have strengthened his case significantly.
Yamal has also started the new season in outstanding form, keeping his name in the spotlight just before the Ballon d’Or ceremony.
Kane also emerges as major favourite
Harry Kane has also received strong support from the journalists involved in the voting process.
The England captain enjoyed another huge goalscoring season while also adding important team honours with Bayern Munich.
That combination of goals and trophies could give Kane an important advantage over Mbappe.
This is not a leaked Ballon d’Or result
There is one very important clarification.
The journalists who spoke about the race did not reveal their official Ballon d’Or votes.
Their comments were predictions and general impressions rather than confirmation of the final result.
That means Mbappe has not officially lost the Ballon d’Or and the final ranking remains secret.
France Football will only reveal the result at the official ceremony.
Mbappe faces worrying Ballon d’Or situation
Mbappe still has a powerful individual case and remains one of the biggest names in the race.
But the latest comments from members of the voting panel are far from encouraging.
With Kane and Yamal appearing more consistently among predicted podium positions, Mbappe may now be facing a much harder battle than expected.
The final result has not been revealed, but the latest signals suggest the Real Madrid star can no longer be considered a clear favourite.
