Mbappe makes huge Ballon d’Or claim: ‘I’d vote for myself, making history should always be rewarded’

Mbappe makes huge Ballon d’Or claim: ‘I’d vote for myself, making history should always be rewarded’ With the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony getting closer, the debate about who should win football’s most coveted individual honour is heating up once again. Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe once again finds himself in the conversation for the Golden Orb after yet another fine campaign on an individual level, despite not winning any major trophies. On the opposite side, he finds himself going up against the likes of Rodri and Lamine Yamal, who won the World Cup with Spain and also enjoyed success at the club level. Mbappe would vote for himself In an interview with L’Equipe , Mbappe has made a huge claim about the Ballon d’Or, stating that he would vote for himself after making history with his goals for both club and country. “I would vote for myself to win the Ballon d’Or,” he claimed emphatically. On whether the lack of Champions League success had put greater distance between himself and the Golden Orb, Mbappe stated: “No. I’m convinced that I can win it this year, so I haven’t taken any distance from it.” Eyeing his first Ballon d’Or. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images) Mbappe makes his case Making a case for why he considers himself as a deserving contender for the prize, the Real Madrid and France megastar explained: “Of course. I see it as an individual award. People look at what the player has contributed individually. “Then some say I haven’t won titles, but I haven’t seen a Ballon d’Or awarded unanimously that meets all the conditions every time. “Has it ever been awarded with 100% of the votes? That means there’s always someone who thinks the winner doesn’t deserve it. From that point, I’m not saying I’ll win it unanimously.” Mbappe created history by becoming the first player in men’s football history to win consecutive World Cup Golden Boots, securing his first in 2022 (eight goals) and his second in 2026 (ten goals). Furthermore, With 22 goals in total in the tournament, he surpassed Lionel Messi (21 goals) and Miroslav Klose (16 goals) to become the highest goalscorer in World Cup history. Mbappe is a top contender for Ballon d’Or. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images) As such, he added: “But I believe I have the arguments: to be the all-time top scorer in the World Cup, and to surpass all the legends of the sport in the most important tournament this sport has ever created.” “That’s something that sticks in people’s minds, it’s a global event. To finish as the top scorer in the most important competition where the world’s best players participate is a big deal. “I don’t know if that’s ever been achieved before, but the principle says that making history should always be rewarded.” Concluding, he added: “I’d vote for myself. But I can understand those who vote for someone else. We’re not in a dictatorship of thought. “But when I look at the arguments, and when I look at the competition, I look at myself and say: Yes… it wouldn’t be stealing.” Mbappe’s sentiments echo that of Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho , who also stated that the Frenchman should be a top contender for the Ballon d’Or after making history last season. After all, apart from his heroics at the World Cup, the forward also scored 42 goals for Real Madrid last season, finishing as the top scorer in La Liga for a second consecutive season, and the UEFA Champions League.