Kylian Mbappé raised his World Cup tally to 22 goals in 2026, becoming the tournament's all-time leading scorer. Yet he ended the season empty-handed, without a trophy for either Real Madrid or France. Lamine Yamal's year could hardly have been more different. The 19-year-old won both the World Cup and La Liga, Spain's top flight, and believes that haul makes football's most prestigious individual award his to claim. "Honestly, I think we may well be the two best players in the world, and this year I deserve the award because of the trophies I've won," the Spain forward said. Mbappé, who finished as top scorer in both the Champions League and La Liga, left no doubt about where his own vote was going. "Who am I voting for? Myself," the France striker declared.
Opinion across the football world is split. José Mourinho sided with the Frenchman. "We all know who made history this summer, and it wasn't anyone from Paris Saint-Germain or the Spain national team," he said. Harry Kane's numbers are no less striking: the Bayern Munich striker scored 73 goals this season and completed a German league and cup double. Tellingly, Paris Saint-Germain have a record ten players on the shortlist, among them Fabián Ruiz, who won the Champions League and the World Cup this year. The winner will be announced in London on 26 October.
