Real Madrid accelerates its campaign for the Ballon d'Or in London
Next Monday, October 26, Real Madrid’s calendar highlights in red the Ballon d’Or gala, celebrated at the London Palladium in London for its 70th anniversary; the club, after Vinicius’s disappointment, hopes that Kylian Mbappé can rise as the best player of the year.
A gala without a match or training
The Ballon d’Or ceremony will be neither a match nor a training session; it will be held at the London Palladium in London, marking the award’s 70th anniversary. The organizing body has marked Monday, October 26, as the most important date on Real Madrid’s calendar.
The last Real Madrid player to lift the Ballon d’Or was Karim Benzema, who remains a benchmark for the club. Florentino Pérez and journalist Mario Calderón have highlighted the gala’s importance for the institution, emphasizing that the event transcends the playing field.
Mbappé, Real Madrid’s favorite candidate
After Vinicius’s “no victory” in 2024, Real Madrid has placed its hopes on Kylian Mbappé as a possible winner of the award. The French forward, who two years ago boycotted the ceremony, has lifted his veto and now speaks openly about the prize through the club’s loudspeakers.
Mbappé arrives as the all‑time top scorer in the World Cup, with 22 goals in three tournaments, and finished fourth after a semifinal against Spain. Moreover, he was the top scorer of the latest Champions League edition with 16 goals, despite his team falling in the quarter‑finals to Bayern Munich.
If the victory materializes, Mbappé would be the first Frenchman and the twelfth Real Madrid player to win the Ballon d’Or. The previous winners wearing the white shirt — Luis Figo, Fabio Cannavaro, Kaká, Michael Owen and Zinedine Zidane — secured the top prize mainly while playing for other clubs.
The club and Mbappé himself have already begun to “do the homework” so that the trophy lands in their showcase, reinforcing the idea that the night of October 26 could mark a historic milestone for the white side.