José Mourinho claims Real Madrid’s Mbappé should win Ballon d’Or this year
José Mourinho has backed Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé to win the Ballon d’Or, saying the award should recognise the world’s best individual player rather than simply reward Champions League or World Cup winners. He argued that Mbappé “made history” during the summer by becoming the leading scorer in World Cup history, despite not winning a major trophy.
Mbappé was last season’s top scorer in La Liga, the Champions League and the 2026 World Cup, and recently scored a hat-trick in Real Madrid’s 4-1 win over Real Sociedad. Other leading contenders include Harry Kane, Spain’s World Cup-winning midfielder Rodri, and PSG’s Ousmane Dembélé and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia; Mourinho’s Madrid face promoted Málaga on Sunday while seeking a third consecutive league win.
- Mourinho says Mbappé deserves the Ballon d’Or for individual excellence.
- Mbappé led scoring charts across major club and international competitions.
- Real Madrid aim for a third straight La Liga victory against Málaga.
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The Ballon d’Or is an annual award for the best footballer in the world, voted for by journalists. Voters consider players’ individual performances and achievements with their teams, so there can be debate about how much winning major trophies should count.
Kylian Mbappé is a France international who plays as a forward for Real Madrid, one of Spain’s leading clubs. José Mourinho is a high-profile football manager whose views can draw attention to the award, while other players are also in contention.
The award matters because it is one of football’s best-known individual honours. Its contenders may have very different claims, from scoring goals to helping their teams win major competitions.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The Ballon d’Or is an individual award, so Mbappé’s case can rest on his outstanding scoring record across La Liga, the Champions League and the World Cup, rather than on whether his teams won major trophies. His summer achievement as the World Cup’s leading scorer and his recent hat-trick strengthen the argument that he was the year’s most decisive player.
The case against
Individual awards in a team sport can reasonably take team achievement into account, since success in major competitions reflects sustained impact under the highest stakes. Rodri’s World Cup win, or the achievements of other contenders with their clubs, may therefore offer a stronger overall case if voters value collective success alongside individual performance.