Kylian Mbappe’s prolific season was not enough to secure the 2026 Ballon d’Or, with the Real Madrid forward finishing second behind England striker Harry Kane.
Mbappe enjoyed an outstanding individual campaign, but Spanish newspaper Marca believes the decisive factor was not personal statistics alone. The award increasingly reflects a player’s contribution to collective success, including the trophies won with his club and the ability to operate within a team structure.
Trophies prove decisive
Marca noted that the three most recent Ballon d’Or winners – Rodri, Ousmane Dembele and Kane – shared one important feature: each had won major honours with their club.
The newspaper also identified a common mentality among the three players, arguing that they consistently placed the interests of the team above individual achievement. That was a quality Mbappe’s season at Real Madrid did not sufficiently demonstrate through collective results.
Although the France international produced impressive scoring figures, Real Madrid did not win the team honours required to strengthen his claim to the award.
The Ballon d’Or remains an individual prize, but Marca said it has increasingly come to reflect football’s collective nature. The newspaper pointed to the victories of Luka Modric and Karim Benzema in previous editions as further examples, particularly in years when the contest was closely fought.
Goals alone could not carry Mbappe
Mbappe entered the 2026 competition as the leading scorer in La Liga and had also claimed the Champions League’s top-scorer award. His goalscoring form at the World Cup added to his individual case.
However, Marca argued those achievements could not outweigh the advantage held by players who combined individual excellence with significant team success.
The newspaper referred to the 2025 Ballon d’Or, when Mbappe finished seventh despite winning the Golden Boot. He was placed behind players from Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona and Liverpool, clubs that Marca considered to have enjoyed stronger seasons than Real Madrid and to have won important trophies.
Kane’s success in 2026 was also attributed to more than his goals. Marca highlighted his ability to contribute to build-up play and combine effectively with his team-mates, increasing his value within the team as a whole.
Mbappe still has time
Mbappe made no attempt to hide his disappointment after losing the award in London, but the 27-year-old still has time to pursue the honour with Real Madrid.
He previously finished fourth in 2018 after winning the World Cup with France, behind Luka Modric, Cristiano Ronaldo and Antoine Griezmann.
The forward was also considered a strong contender in 2020 after scoring 30 goals and providing 18 assists for Paris Saint-Germain. That year’s award was cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Marca concluded that the Ballon d’Or is a long-distance race. Mbappe’s ambition remains achievable, but he must combine his outstanding individual numbers with collective success at Real Madrid if he is to turn his pursuit into victory.
