Kylian Mbappe's Road to Glory: The Key Steps He Must Take to Claim the 2027 Ballon d'Or

When Harry Kane's name was announced at the London Palladium Theatre, the camera quickly shifted to a visibly deflated Kylian Mbappé, who remained seated and did not rise to applaud the newly crowned Ballon d'Or champion.

Mbappé had been among the frontrunners to claim football's most coveted individual award on Monday following a record-breaking 2025–26 campaign. The 27-year-old Frenchman became the first player in history to finish as the leading scorer in La Liga, the Champions League and the World Cup simultaneously.

He believed those achievements were sufficient to earn him a place in the Ballon d'Or elite; Mbappé embarked on an extensive media campaign making his case, lobbying journalists, fellow players and fans alike that he had delivered the finest individual season of anyone last year.

Ultimately, he finished as runner-up by an "extremely small" margin, according to France Football's Vincent Garcia.

The fact that 33-year-old Kane claimed the prize is testament to the fact that Mbappé still has ample time to win the Ballon d'Or, but that defining moment will not arrive on the strength of goals alone.

A Familiar Heartbreak for Mbappé

Mbappé is well acquainted with the experience of being a Ballon d'Or finalist. The Frenchman has now placed in the top 10 of the standings for the past decade, with the exception of 2020 when the ceremony was scrapped due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

His sustained excellence for France, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid has consistently earned him recognition from voters, from his days as a fresh-faced teenager to his current status as one of the sport's defining figures. Yet it has never translated into the level of recognition he—and many others—believed he warranted.

Prior to the 2026 edition, Mbappé had only ever stood on the podium once. The French international claimed third place in 2023 despite delivering one of the most extraordinary World Cup performances ever witnessed. His heroics in Qatar weren't even enough for second place—that went to Erling Haaland, while Lionel Messi collected his eighth Ballon d'Or.

The following year, Mbappé slipped to sixth despite claiming the Gerd Müller Trophy and a domestic treble with PSG. The club-level achievements were virtually identical to what Kane produced last season, with both players also exiting the Champions League at the semifinal stage. Yet it wasn't enough for Mbappé to even break into the top five in the 2024 standings.

He then moved to Real Madrid and produced the club's finest-ever debut season, claiming the Pichichi Trophy and the European Golden Boot, yet Mbappé was ranked only seventh in the world in 2025.

Mbappé's Ballon d'Or Finishes

Mbappé Believed His Moment Had Finally Arrived

It had become increasingly evident that piling up goals in Ligue 1 or La Liga alone would not be enough for Mbappé to claim Ballon d'Or glory. So in 2025–26, he assembled the greatest individual campaign of his career.

Mbappé tallied 58 goals and 13 assists across club and international duty, figures that would have been even higher had he not dealt with recurring knee problems throughout the season. He once again claimed the Pichichi Trophy, netting 25 goals in 31 league outings. But this time, he also added further accolades to his collection.

Mbappé struck 15 times in 11 Champions League appearances, a tally made all the more remarkable given that Real Madrid failed to advance beyond the quarterfinals. He then delivered on the grandest stage of all, scoring 10 goals for France as they reached a fourth-place finish at the 2026 World Cup.

That run through North America made Mbappé the all-time top scorer in World Cup history at just 27 years of age. What more could he possibly do to establish himself as the sport's finest individual performer?

The answer, it turns out, is draped in silver.

How Mbappé Can Finally Claim the Ballon d'Or Next Year

The one glaring absence from Mbappé's record in recent years is silverware. For all the milestones he shattered during his debut season at the Bernabéu, he left without a single major trophy to show for it.

Mbappé delivered even more in his second season, yet once again ended the campaign empty-handed. A World Cup triumph, or at the very least another commanding run to a final, might have been enough to swing more votes his way over Kane, but France were eliminated by Spain in the semifinals.

Given how razor-thin the margin was between Mbappé and Kane, it's plausible that even a La Liga title would have been sufficient for the Frenchman to hear his name called by Ronaldo on Monday night.

But the odds were always going to be against a player who failed to win a single piece of silverware last season—something Mbappé must address in 2026–27 if he is to finally get his hands on the Ballon d'Or.

The goals are already coming thick and fast for the striker; Mbappé has found the net 14 times in 13 appearances so far, with his most recent brace proving decisive in El Clásico for Real Madrid. In the Champions League, he has scored three goals in as many games and continues to climb the all-time charts, now sitting fifth among the competition's greatest ever scorers.

But none of it will matter when next year's Ballon d'Or votes are cast if Mbappé fails to deliver trophies to Real Madrid. A Champions League title would likely be the decisive factor in securing the 27-year-old his long-awaited prize, particularly as there is no major international tournament scheduled for next summer to divert votes toward players with strong international records.

To make a Ballon d'Or victory truly undeniable, Mbappé would also need to top La Liga this season. Lifting the Spanish Super Cup and/or the Copa del Rey would certainly help, but the Champions League and La Liga title remain the cornerstones of the Frenchman's path to ultimate glory.