These precedents give hope for a Ballon d'Or for Mbappé

In the glittering Royal Albert Hall, Londres, the buzz for the Ballon d'Or ceremony is palpable as the world watches Kylian Mbappé, listed among the favourites, confront a unique handicap – Ces lack of any collective trophy despite his individual brilliance.

Why individual brilliance matters

Kylian Mbappé, listed among the favourites for the Ballon d'Or 2026, insists there has been no better player this year, a claim he made ahead of the ceremony in Londres on Monday evening. The French captain, however, carries a handicap: he has yet to lift any collective trophy with Real Madrid or the France national side.

Critics point out that rivals such as Lamine Yamal and Harry Kane have already secured domestic or European silverware, a contrast that fuels the debate over Mbappé’s candidacy. The Parisian striker has endured two seasons at Real Madrid without a major title, a factor the voting panel cannot ignore.

The Ballon d'Or is awarded on three essential pillars: individual performance, collective success and the class associated with fair‑play. The organisers stress that while personal brilliance is paramount, the prize also recognises a player’s impact on his team’s achievements.

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Mbappé’s résumé ticks the first pillar emphatically: he finished as top scorer at the World Cup, topped the Champions League scoring charts and led La Liga in goals this season. Those feats alone provide a strong argument for his inclusion among the elite.

Past winners who triumphed without trophies

History shows the situation is not unprecedented. In the 69 editions before 2026, six players received the Ballon d'Or despite not having won a collective title in the same year.

Stanley Matthews was honoured in 1956 while still without honours at Blackpool or England; Denis Law followed in 1964 under similar circumstances; Kevin Keegan achieved the award in 1978 before any major club silverware; Luis Figo lifted the trophy in 2000 despite a barren spell with Barcelona; Cristiano Ronaldo earned it in 2013 while his clubs were title‑less; and Gerd Müller, who had no trophies with West Germany or Bayern Munich in 1970, compensated by becoming the World Cup’s top scorer.

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These precedents give Mbappé a realistic pathway to lift the Ballon d'Or this year, even if his trophy cabinet remains empty for now.