Kévin Diaz says the 2026 Ballon d'Or failure boosts Mbappé

During the After Foot broadcast aired Tuesday evening on RMC, consultant Kévin Diaz analyzed Kylian Mbappé's second place in the 2026 Ballon d’or, noting that this failure could become an asset for the next stage of his career.

Second place in the 2026 Ballon d’or

Mbappé, aged twenty‑seven, finishes behind Harry Kane, who won the trophy. Almost eleven years after his professional debut, the Frenchman continues to chase the Ballon d’or, despite an intensive media campaign in recent weeks.

For the consultant, this failure “will serve him”. He adds that Kylian Mbappé “has two or three years ahead of him, when he will still have fire‑brand legs”, emphasizing the player’s determination.

The requirements of a future Ballon

Having arrived at Real Madrid in the summer of 2024, Mbappé has only won the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Intercontinental Cup in 2024, that is two trophies in two seasons.

Despite this record, the Frenchman finished top scorer of the World Cup, the Champions League and La Liga, but he did not win any collective title this season.

Ballon d’Or: less than 41 points separating the Frenchman and the Englishman

Diaz believes that to secure a future Ballon d’or, Mbappé will need to win one of the two major titles, notably the Champions League, which “will make him win the Ballon d’or, that’s for sure”.

He reminds that José Mourinho is living his last chance, “it’s now or never for José Mourinho”, and that the same urgency applies to Mbappé.

According to him, if Barça wins the Champions League, Lamine Yamal will become Ballon d’or even if Mbappé scores seventy‑two goals, emphasizing that individual performance must be accompanied by collective success.

Zinédine Zidane's mission to appease Mbappé and Dembélé at the Ballon d’Or

In conclusion, Kévin Diaz sees in the remaining two to three years of Mbappé a window where he can combine energy and titles to finally capture the coveted Ballon d’or.