Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has backed Kylian Mbappé for the Mbappé Ballon d’Or 2026 crown. “Individually, nobody has been better” than his French teammate this year, he said. But he also admitted that a season without team trophies could cost Mbappé the prize.
Courtois spoke to DAZN Belgium on Wednesday, just five days before the ceremony. “I think Kylian deserves it, but people vote according to their own logic,” he said. His words have reignited the biggest debate of this year’s race. Should the Ballon d’Or reward the best individual player, or the player with the fullest trophy cabinet?
The 70th Ballon d’Or ceremony takes place on Monday, October 26, at the London Palladium. French legend Thierry Henry and broadcaster Kate Scott will host the gala (official announcement). For the first time, the event leaves its longtime Paris home. The move honors the award’s 70th anniversary and its first winner, England’s Stanley Matthews, back in 1956.
What Courtois Said About the Mbappé Ballon d’Or 2026 Race
Courtois did not hold back. “Do we choose someone who has won titles, or someone who has been above everyone else all season, even without winning anything?” he asked. “I’m thinking particularly of Kylian. Individually, nobody has been better than Kylian, but unfortunately, we didn’t win anything collectively.” Spanish outlet AS first reported the remarks.
He also addressed the elephant in the room: Lamine Yamal. The Barcelona teenager lifted the 2026 World Cup with Spain and won LaLiga. As a result, many fans see him as the favorite. “For me, Lamine Yamal had a slightly worse World Cup, but he won the World Cup, the league title with Barcelona and had a good year overall,” Courtois conceded. It was a respectful nod. It was also a clear statement that trophies alone should not decide the vote.
Thibaut Courtois backed Kylian Mbappé for the 2026 Ballon d’Or in a DAZN interview on October 21. (Photo: Bryan Berlin / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0)
Mbappé’s Case: 10 World Cup Goals and a Golden Boot
The numbers behind Mbappé’s campaign are hard to argue with. At the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the France captain scored 10 goals. That tally won him the Golden Boot and made him the tournament’s all-time leading scorer. He almost single-handedly dragged Les Bleus to fourth place. It was a wild summer that also produced late drama for Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal.
At club level, the story was similar. Mbappé netted 42 goals in 44 games for Real Madrid last season. That is a staggering return by any measure. But football is a team game. Madrid ended the campaign without a major trophy, and that empty cabinet is the one line his critics keep repeating.
The Yamal Counter-Argument
Yamal offers the opposite profile. He was slightly less explosive as an individual, but he is a proven winner. He starred in Spain’s World Cup triumph and Barcelona’s LaLiga title run. Meanwhile, Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane has joined the debate after firing Bayern to a domestic treble and the Champions League semifinals.
Lamine Yamal won the 2026 World Cup with Spain and LaLiga with Barcelona. He is Mbappé’s biggest rival for the award. (Photo: Biso / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 4.0)
Ballon d’Or 2026 Contenders Compared
So how do the frontrunners stack up? Here is the season in one snapshot:
| Contender | Club / Country | Standout numbers | Trophies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kylian Mbappé | Real Madrid / France | 42 goals in 44 club games; 10 World Cup goals (Golden Boot; all-time World Cup top scorer) | None |
| Lamine Yamal | Barcelona / Spain | Key player in Spain’s World Cup win; LaLiga champion | World Cup, LaLiga |
| Harry Kane | Bayern Munich / England | Spearheaded Bayern’s attack all season | Domestic treble |
The table lays bare the dilemma Courtois described. On pure output, Mbappé stands alone. On silverware, Yamal and Kane lead the way. This year’s vote may therefore say more about what the Ballon d’Or means than about any single player.
How the 2026 Ballon d’Or Vote Works
Journalists from 100 countries decide the men’s prize (via Sports Mole). Each voter ranks the year’s top players. The vote covers the 2025–26 club season plus the summer World Cup, so the tournament carries huge weight. The shortlist also includes Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham, and reigning holder Ousmane Dembélé. The vote could split in surprising ways.
The ceremony itself promises spectacle. Henry — a nine-time nominee and 2003 runner-up — will co-host with Scott, his CBS Sports colleague. The show starts at 8 p.m. UK time. It will crown the men’s and women’s winners, plus the best young player, goalkeeper, and coach.
The Lighter Side: “Dictator Mbappé” and the Fake Vinícius Theory
The DAZN interview was not all serious. Courtois also laughed off a viral theory that a Vinícius Júnior lookalike had replaced the real player. “Of course, it’s the real Vinicius,” he grinned. He then revealed that the squad has turned criticism of Mbappé into a dressing-room joke. They even sing about the so-called “dictator Mbappé” label. Behind the awards chatter, this is clearly a tight-knit group.
What Happens Next
The suspense ends on Monday night in London. France Football says the winners stay secret until the envelopes open on stage. If Mbappé lifts the Mbappé Ballon d’Or 2026 trophy, he will finally add the game’s top individual honor to a résumé that already holds a 2018 World Cup winners’ medal. If Yamal wins, football will crown one of its youngest recipients ever. That would be a true passing-of-the-torch moment.
Either way, Courtois has ensured the debate rages until the last vote is counted. And judging by the reaction online, fans are split right down the middle.
