The Award Kylian Mbappé Won Ahead of the 2026 Ballon d’Or: Is It a Sign He’ll Win on October 26?
The French striker comfortably beats his closest rivals to claim a prestigious individual award. Will it be enough to win football’s biggest individual prize?
Kylian Mbappé received a major individual honor just days before the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony. The Real Madrid striker won the Onze d’Or, strengthening his case among the biggest stars in world soccer, although the race for football’s top individual prize remains wide open.
MBAPPÉ DOMINATES ONZE D’OR VOTING
The France captain won 48.2% of the votes in the poll organized by French magazine Onze Mondial, which is open to fans worldwide. He finished well ahead of his main challengers: João Neves placed second with 11.9%, followed by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia with 10.8% and Lamine Yamal with 9.7%.
Further down the rankings, Harry Kane received 4.4% of the votes, while Michael Olise earned 2.9%. Mbappé therefore finished ahead of several players also in the conversation for the Ballon d’Or, succeeding his fellow Frenchman Ousmane Dembélé, who won the award in 2025.
The honor comes after an outstanding season for the French forward, who combined prolific goalscoring form with a remarkable performance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where he claimed the Golden Boot with 10 goals.
DOES THE ONZE D’OR BRING MBAPPÉ CLOSER TO THE BALLON D’OR?
The award gives Mbappé a boost ahead of the October 26 ceremony in London, but it does not guarantee that he will win the Ballon d’Or. The two honors use different voting systems, and the final result will depend on the criteria and preferences of the respective voting panels.
Alongside the French star, Lamine Yamal and Harry Kane remain contenders with strong cases based on their performances. Individual statistics, team trophies and each player's influence during the evaluation period will all be important factors in the decision.
With a commanding victory in the Onze d’Or poll and the World Cup Golden Boot on his résumé, Mbappé has plenty of reasons to be optimistic heading into the final stretch. However, the Onze d’Or is an encouraging sign, not a guarantee. The question of who will be crowned the world's best player in 2026 will be answered at the ceremony in London.
MBAPPÉ GAINS MOMENTUM IN THE 2026 BALLON D’OR RACE!
- 🏆 WINS THE ONZE D’OR: Kylian Mbappé claimed the award with 48.2% of the votes.
- ⚽ BEATS HIS RIVALS: João Neves (11.9%), Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (10.8%) and Lamine Yamal (9.7%) finished behind the French star.
- 🌟 BOOSTS HIS BALLON D’OR CASE: His individual honor and the 2026 World Cup Golden Boot strengthen his candidacy, although neither guarantees victory.
