Former Ballon d’Or chief, Pascal Ferré has hinted that Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé has not done enough to win the 2026 award.
Ferré admits that Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal has done more than Mbappé and deserves to take the prize home.
In the year under review, Yamal won both the LaLiga title and the World Cup trophy.
Mbappé, meanwhile, only finished as the top scorer in LaLiga, the UEFA Champions League and the World Cup.
Ferré has now said winning trophies matters.
He said: “Honestly, I think Kylian’s campaign is massive compared to Lamine’s.
“For me, you don’t ask for a Ballon d’Or. You earn it.
“I’ve spoken with some members of the jury that I’m still in contact with, and these things have no influence on them.
“Honestly, I don’t think Kylian’s campaign has achieved very much.
“But we’ll see on October 26.
“Mbappé is a great player, but this year I would not vote for him.
“Among the 30 nominees, he was one of the few who didn’t win a trophy with his club.
“It seems strange to me to be the best player in the world without winning anything during the season.
“Football remains a team sport. If you don’t manage to win, it means you weren’t strong enough.
“That’s my view.”
Former Ballon d’Or chief, Ferré reveals player that is likely to win 2026 award