Kylian Mbappe has openly backed himself for the 2026 Ballon d’Or after a historic World Cup, insisting that record-breaking individual achievements deserve to be rewarded.
‘I’d vote for myself’: Mbappe makes huge Ballon d’Or claim after historic World Cup
Kylian Mbappe has made one of his clearest Ballon d’Or statements yet, openly admitting that he would vote for himself to win the prestigious individual award.
The Real Madrid superstar addressed his chances during a France Football interview, with excerpts from the conversation immediately creating debate ahead of the 2026 Ballon d’Or.
Rather than delivering the usual diplomatic response, Mbappe made his personal choice very clear.
Mbappe says he would vote for himself
When asked who he would choose in the Ballon d’Or race, Mbappe gave a remarkably direct answer.
His choice was himself.
The French captain argued that the Ballon d’Or remains an individual award and therefore believes individual performances should carry significant weight when voters make their decision.
For Mbappe, his achievements over the past year provide a strong enough case to justify that confidence.
‘Making history should always be rewarded’
Mbappe’s most striking argument centred on the historic nature of his individual accomplishments.
“I believe that making history should always be rewarded,” Mbappe said while discussing his Ballon d’Or credentials.
The message is significant because it highlights the central argument behind his candidacy.
Real Madrid may not have enjoyed the trophy haul expected of them, but Mbappe believes his individual achievements were exceptional enough to stand on their own.
Historic World Cup strengthens Mbappe’s case
The biggest part of Mbappe’s Ballon d’Or argument comes from his extraordinary performances at the 2026 World Cup.
The French forward scored 10 goals during the tournament and won the Golden Boot.
Those goals also took Mbappe to 22 World Cup strikes across his career, moving him to the top of the competition’s all-time scoring standings.
It was another remarkable chapter in a World Cup career that had already produced a title in 2018 and a hat-trick in the 2022 final.
Mbappe believes achievements of that scale should matter heavily when the Ballon d’Or votes are counted.
France failing to win creates major debate
There is, however, an obvious counterargument.
France did not win the World Cup despite Mbappe’s extraordinary goalscoring numbers.
That creates one of the biggest questions surrounding the 2026 Ballon d’Or: how much should individual brilliance matter compared with major team trophies?
Mbappe clearly believes the two should not always be inseparable.
His position is that a player can produce a historically significant individual campaign even when his team does not ultimately lift the biggest trophy.
Real Madrid season also complicates Ballon d’Or race
The same debate applies to Mbappe’s club campaign.
Real Madrid did not collect the major trophies normally associated with a Ballon d’Or-winning season.
However, Mbappe believes the lack of collective success should not automatically erase the significance of his individual performances.
For him, there has never been one perfect formula that every Ballon d’Or winner must satisfy.
That is why he continues to emphasise goals, records and historic achievements when discussing his candidacy.
Mbappe believes 2026 could finally be his year
Mbappe also addressed the Ballon d’Or during Real Madrid’s preparations for their Champions League opener.
The Frenchman acknowledged that representing Real Madrid naturally brings expectations of competing for football’s biggest individual prizes.
Mbappe admitted he feels this could be a good year for him to finally win the award.
However, he stopped short of claiming that victory is guaranteed.
He acknowledged that the final decision belongs to the journalists who vote and accepted that others may believe another player deserves the prize.
Christophe Dugarry launches brutal response
Mbappe’s comments have not been universally welcomed in France.
Former France international and 1998 World Cup winner Christophe Dugarry delivered a particularly harsh response.
Dugarry described Mbappe’s public Ballon d’Or comments as “childish and pathetic”.
He questioned whether the captain of the French national team should be publicly promoting his case for an individual award rather than focusing on collective success.
The criticism has added another layer to what was already becoming one of the biggest Ballon d’Or debates of the year.
Mbappe refuses to hide his ambition
Mbappe’s comments ultimately reveal a player who is no longer interested in pretending the Ballon d’Or does not matter to him.
He wants to win it, believes he has produced a season worthy of winning it and is prepared to say so publicly.
His case is built around extraordinary individual numbers and a record-breaking World Cup rather than a dominant collection of team trophies.
Whether voters agree with that interpretation could determine the outcome of one of the most fascinating Ballon d’Or races in recent years.
Ballon d’Or debate is only getting started
More of Mbappe’s France Football interview is expected to emerge, meaning the discussion surrounding his candidacy may intensify further.
For now, however, his position could hardly be clearer: if Kylian Mbappe had a Ballon d’Or vote, he would give it to Kylian Mbappe.
And after making World Cup history, the Real Madrid star believes he has earned the right to make that claim.
