Ballon d’Or: Kylian Mbappé had hoped for a different outcome

A clip showing the Frenchman before Harry Kane was crowned is fueling comments about his expectations

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Ballon d’Or: Kylian Mbappé had hoped for a different outcome

Second in the 2026 Ballon d’Or voting, Kylian Mbappé would have liked to record the announcement of the winner. The gesture is now being discussed after Harry Kane’s triumph.

Kylian Mbappé had hoped to leave London with the Ballon d’Or. The Real Madrid forward, who ultimately finished second behind Harry Kane on Monday, October 26, is also attracting attention for a moment before the result was announced. The Frenchman reportedly signaled to those close to him to film the announcement of the winner at the London Palladium.

A gesture before the verdict draws reaction

In the footage that has been reported, Mbappé appears to ask those around him to capture the moment when Ronaldo is due to reveal the winner’s name. The moment could thus have become a personal keepsake if the trophy had gone to him.

However, the gesture does not prove that he knew the result or was certain to win. The desire to keep a video of such an important moment may also reflect a candidate’s anticipation. In the end, it was Harry Kane’s name that was announced, while the cameras also followed the Frenchman’s reaction.

Striker awards were not enough

Mbappé had a strong sporting case, having won the top-scorer awards in La Liga, the Champions League and at the 2026 World Cup. At the World Cup, he scored ten goals to claim the tournament’s Golden Boot.

This accumulation of individual awards did not sway the final decision. After the verdict, his reaction to Kane’s triumph also attracted attention.

His best ranking despite the disappointment

The result nevertheless marks an improvement: Mbappé bettered his third-place finish in 2023, behind Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland. He secured his second podium finish and his best ranking in the history of the award.

The footage therefore changes nothing about this record. It illustrates the scrutiny that accompanies the favorites, whose every gesture is interpreted during the ceremony. For the Madrid player, this second-place finish brings him closer to the trophy without allowing him, this time, to lift it.

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