Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe has acknowledged growing speculation around his candidacy for this year’s Ballon d’Or following his record-breaking performance at the 2026 World Cup. The French captain scored 10 goals during the tournament, securing the Golden Boot and propelling France to a fourth-place finish. With 22 goals across his World Cup career, Mbappe now holds the record as the competition’s all-time top scorer.

Speaking on Monday, Mbappe said it was natural for people to link him with football’s most prestigious individual award given his role at Real Madrid, widely regarded as one of the world’s leading clubs. “When you play for Real Madrid, who are the best club in the world, naturally people associate you with that kind of award,” he said. Despite his historic summer, Mbappe emphasized that the Ballon d’Or voting is still open and free for voters to decide on the best player globally.

Since joining Real Madrid in 2024, the 27-year-old has consistently delivered goals, yet the team has not secured any major trophies during his tenure. The squad has often appeared unbalanced, with high-profile players, including Mbappe and teammate Vinicius Junior, facing criticism for not contributing sufficiently to the collective effort. Comparisons have been drawn with players such as Ousmane Dembele at Paris Saint-Germain and Raphinha at Barcelona, who are viewed as more integrated into their respective team dynamics.

Mbappe addressed the scrutiny, acknowledging the need for improvement. “I could play dumb and tell you I score more goals than Dembele and Raphinha, but everyone is different,” he stated. He declined to engage in direct player comparisons, highlighting that he contributes in ways others may not.

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho recently expressed a desire for Mbappe to focus more on team success rather than individual scoring tallies. While Mbappe said he would accept scoring fewer goals if it meant winning trophies, he believes the two goals are not mutually exclusive. “I’d take 30 goals with titles, yes, but for me it’s an absurd debate. I always want to score goals and win titles—you don’t have to choose, you can do both things,” he remarked.

Mourinho, the veteran Portuguese coach who led Inter Milan to the Champions League title at the Bernabeu in 2010, now manages Real Madrid. Reflecting on his past with Inter, Mourinho said the history adds layers of enjoyment before and after matches, but during the game, the focus is purely on winning. “During the game I want to win, they want to win, and there won’t be time to think about things from a wonderful past,” he said.