Kylian Mbappe fell just short of securing his first Ballon d’Or, even after a remarkable 2025-26 campaign in which he found the net 42 times for Real Madrid and added another ten goals at the World Cup. The French attacker established himself as one of the leading contenders for the coveted individual honour, yet Bayern Munich forward Harry Kane ended up taking the award.
France Football editor-in-chief Vincent Garcia has since disclosed how close the race actually was, stating that Mbappe was ahead in the voting for a considerable stretch before Kane surged past him to claim the win.
Mbappe was ahead in Ballon d’Or voting for a large portion of the race
In comments to L’Equipe following Monday’s ceremony, Garcia noted that the battle between Kane and Mbappe was even tighter than the 2024 showdown between Rodri and Vinicius Junior, which Rodri secured by a 41-point margin.
“The gap was actually smaller than the one between Rodri and Vinicius in 2024, which stood at 41 points, and even that was already extremely tight,” Garcia remarked, as reported by AS.
He verified that Mbappe had held the lead through much of the voting, but Kane ultimately surpassed the Real Madrid star. Garcia likewise commended the Frenchman’s season, calling it exceptional and stressing how minimal the difference was between the two frontrunners.
Harry Kane’s goals and silverware proved decisive
Even though Mbappe delivered outstanding individual statistics, he ended the season without any silverware at either club or international level. That proved damaging in his bid for the Ballon d’Or, as Kane experienced a more fruitful season both collectively and on a personal level.
The Bayern Munich striker registered 73 goals for club and country, and his team’s domestic trophies reinforced his candidacy for the honour. Those accomplishments handed Kane the advantage in a race that stayed uncertain throughout much of the voting process.
Garcia additionally cited Spain’s World Cup victory as an element in the voting, indicating that Rodri and Lamine Yamal divided support among individual nominees. Yamal ended up in third place, with Rodri in fourth, despite the Barcelona youngster having seemed to be in the running for a lengthy period.
Mbappe will have another opportunity to claim the Ballon d’Or
Notwithstanding the setback, Mbappe has ample grounds to stay positive about his prospects of winning the award down the line. His displays carried him near to triumph even without major trophies, indicating that another powerful season paired with collective achievements could tip the scales.
The French international has already begun the new campaign impressively, sustaining his prolific scoring form. He struck twice in Sunday’s 2-1 Clasico win against Barcelona, offering another demonstration of his impact at Real Madrid.
At 27, Mbappe is at the peak of his career and will have additional chances to compete for the Ballon d’Or. Nevertheless, converting his individual excellence into team silverware stays the essential next step if he is to go one better in the following edition of the award.