Ballon d’Or 2026: Mbappé and Dembélé lead French contention

The race for the 2026 Ballon d’Or has sparked debate among top football figures following the announcement of the 30 nominees. Kylian Mbappé, playing for Real Madrid, has expressed confidence in his candidacy, stating that based on his arguments and competition, a win would not be ‘stolen’.

In contrast, Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembélé has taken a more deflective stance. While Dembélé is a candidate to defend his previous prestige, he has stated he does not vote for himself and instead suggested that his teammate Khvicha Kvaratskhelia could be a strong contender. Dembélé also addressed the increased scrutiny that comes with his status, noting that he is unbothered by criticism, saying, ‘I don’t care about being criticized. It’s part of the game.’

Amidst the competition between French stars, Philippe Diallo, president of the French Football Federation (FFF), declined to take a side when asked to choose between Mbappé and Dembélé, opting for a diplomatic ‘Joker’ response. Meanwhile, Spanish national team coach Luis de la Fuente expressed frustration over the omission of Mikel Oyarzabal from the list, while also highlighting Lamine Yamal as a top favorite for the award.