Zinedine Zidane says Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe deserved the Ballon d’Or over Harry Kane

Zinedine Zidane says Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe deserved the Ballon d’Or over Harry Kane A few weeks ago, Kylian Mbappe would have won his first Ballon d’Or had it not been for a flawless season from Harry Kane. The fact that Mbappe was unable to win any major trophies for either France or Real Madrid did not help his case either, as he finished second in the final standings. In a recent interview with Telefoot, France’s new coach Zinedine Zidane was asked about the Ballon d’Or, with the Real Madrid legend admitting Mbappe deserved the crown. Zidane on Ballon d’Or result Mbappe starred in the recent win over Valencia. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) Zidane highlighted that one has to accept the final result, but pointed out that Mbappe was a worthy winner given his fantastic season for both club and country. “As for the Ballon d’Or, everyone has their preferences over the winner. He finished second, you just have to accept the results. Mbappé was disappointed, because he deserved to win the Ballon d’Or, that’s for sure,” he said (h/t Diario AS ). Zidane, who won the Ballon d’Or in 1998, joins a long list of footballing greats who have supported Mbappe’s claim to the trophy over Harry Kane. The Frenchman, after all, enjoyed an astonishing 2025/26 campaign, racking up 42 goals in all competitions for Real Madrid while winning the Pichichi trophy. In the World Cup, he was the top scorer of the tournament and helped France reach the semifinals, only to be beaten by eventual winners Spain. Another important season for Mbappe Mbappe will be keen on winning the Ballon d’Or next year. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images) Mbappe, though, has moved on and is focusing on the season at hand. The Frenchman has started well, with 17 goals in 16 competitive matches. He is already among the top ten best foreign goalkeepers at Real Madrid, despite only joining the club a few years ago. Zidane, for his part, will play a crucial role in Mbappe’s progression, as he is now the coach of the French national team. The former Real Madrid manager, in fact, has already indicated that Mbappe is free to operate in his preferred position in attack rather than just operating as a centre forward. This will make things interesting, as Mbappe gears up for the second international break of the season, with France taking on Italy and Turkiye in the UEFA Nations League.