Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has backed Kylian Mbappé to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or, arguing that the French forward’s exceptional individual performances should outweigh the absence of major trophies at club and international levels.
Courtois made his position clear in an interview with DAZN on Wednesday, acknowledging that Mbappé faces a difficult challenge against Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal, whose achievements with his club and Spain could strengthen his chances of claiming football’s most prestigious individual award.
“Individually, no player was better than him this year, but sadly, we didn’t win any trophies,” Courtois said, highlighting the difference between Mbappé’s individual brilliance and Real Madrid’s collective disappointment.
The Belgian goalkeeper’s comments have added another dimension to the debate over whether individual performances or team success should carry greater weight in determining the Ballon d’Or winner.
Mbappé has built a strong case through his goalscoring exploits across major competitions. He finished the 2025/26 campaign among the leading performers in European football and further strengthened his credentials at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where he became the tournament’s all-time leading scorer with 22 goals in his career.
According to Reuters, Mbappé scored 25 goals in La Liga and 15 in the Champions League during the campaign, despite failing to secure major silverware with Real Madrid. France also fell short of winning the World Cup, losing to Spain in the semi-finals.
Courtois acknowledged that those shortcomings could influence voters, particularly with Yamal enjoying a more successful season in terms of trophies.
The Barcelona youngster helped his club retain the Spanish league title and played a key role in Spain’s World Cup triumph, giving him a compelling argument in the race.
“Lamine Yamal had a worse World Cup than Mbappé, but he won the title and won the league,” Courtois added.
His assessment reflects the central question surrounding this year’s award: should the Ballon d’Or recognise the player who delivered the strongest individual performances, or should trophies and decisive contributions to successful teams determine the outcome?
Yamal has already made his position clear. In September, the Spanish winger identified Mbappé as his principal rival while insisting that his own achievements justified his candidacy. He pointed to Spain’s World Cup victory and Barcelona’s domestic success as important advantages.
Mbappé, meanwhile, has maintained that the award should recognise individual excellence rather than simply reward players from the most successful teams.
The argument also resonates with Courtois’ previous concerns about Ballon d’Or voting. The goalkeeper was disappointed when Manchester City midfielder Rodri won the 2024 award, believing Real Madrid teammates Vinícius Júnior or Dani Carvajal had stronger claims.
Nevertheless, Courtois acknowledged that voters ultimately have their own criteria, making the outcome difficult to predict.
The 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony is scheduled for October 26 in London, with Mbappé and Yamal among the leading contenders.
While Mbappé’s goalscoring records provide a powerful argument for individual recognition, Yamal’s combination of personal excellence and major trophies could prove decisive.
Ultimately, the contest presents voters with two compelling cases: Mbappé’s outstanding individual numbers and Yamal’s achievements on football’s biggest stages. Which argument prevails will determine whether individual brilliance or collective success carries greater weight in this year’s award.
