According to a report by Madrid Universal on Tuesday October 27, 2026, according to France Football editor-in-chief Vincent Garcia, Kylian Mbappe, a forward for Real Madrid, came very close to winning the Ballon d'Or in 2025–26, but he was ultimately beaten out by Harry Kane.

After a sensational season in which he scored 42 goals for Real Madrid and ten more at the World Cup, the French superstar is now among the favorites to win football's most coveted individual trophy.

Despite Mbappe's outstanding statistics, the 2026 Ballon d'Or was won by Harry Kane of Bayern Munich. Kane had a fantastic season, scoring 73 goals for both his club and country, and he also won important domestic trophies.

After Monday's ceremony, Garcia spoke to L'Equipe and revealed that the battle between the two attackers was very close, with Mbappe leading the polls for a long time.

Even though Mbappe was in the lead for quite a while, Kane came out on top. This season, Mbappe has been sensational. According to Garcia, this year's race for first place was very close between Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane.

The contest became much more competitive this year, as the final margin was smaller than the 41-point gap between Rodri and Vinicius Junior in the 2024 Ballon d'Or race, as revealed by the chief of France Football.

Barcelona teammates Rodri and Lamine Yamal may have divided support among individual award candidates, according to Garcia, who also suggested that Spain's World Cup victory impacted the voting. In the end, Yamal came in third, and Rodri came in fourth.

Mbappe did not win any silverware with Real Madrid or France during the period being considered, but Kane's incredible goal-scoring achievements and Bayern Munich's trophy-winning campaign gave him the ultimate advantage.

Regardless of the setback, Mbappe has shown he is determined to compete by getting off to a strong start in the new season and maintaining his impressive goal-scoring form for the Spanish giants.

The 27-year-old further solidified his credentials ahead of another demanding season with a statement performance on Sunday, scoring twice in Real Madrid's 2-1 Clasico victory over Barcelona.

Mbappe will now aim to turn his individual genius into team success with Real Madrid, as he stands a much better chance of finally winning the Ballon d'Or next year if the club wins major trophies.