Goals alone were not enough. For all his prolific scoring, Kylian Mbappé's dream of winning the Ballon d'Or slipped away again, with the Real Madrid star forced to settle for second place in the 2026 edition behind England's Harry Kane, despite an exceptional individual campaign.
The Spanish newspaper "Marca" set out why the award keeps eluding Mbappé, arguing that the decisive factor has nothing to do with individual numbers alone. It comes down to the titles a player wins with his team and how well he fits into the collective system.
Collective titles are the key
According to "Marca", the last three Ballon d'Or winners, Rodri, Ousmane Dembélé and Harry Kane, share one fundamental thing: they won titles with their clubs. That is what the newspaper believes kept Mbappé from the crown, along with their mentality of putting the team first.
Mbappé delivered remarkable scoring numbers, yet Real Madrid failed to deliver the collective success their French striker needed to boost his chances.
The Ballon d'Or may be an individual award, the newspaper noted, but it increasingly reflects the collective spirit of football. That same thinking shaped the crownings of Luka Modrić and Karim Benzema in previous editions, when the race was wide open.
Goals alone did not save Mbappé
Mbappé entered the race having topped La Liga's scoring charts and finished top scorer in the UEFA Champions League, to go with his goalscoring brilliance at the World Cup.
None of it was enough. According to Marca, those achievements could not overcome rivals who combined individual brilliance with collective success.
"Marca" pointed to the 2025 edition, when Mbappé finished seventh despite winning the Golden Boot, trailing players from Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona and Liverpool. The newspaper judged those clubs to have produced better seasons than Real Madrid and to have won important titles.
Harry Kane, winner of the 2026 edition, did not lean on goals alone. He can build play and link up with his teammates, and that boosts his value within the collective system.
A dream that has not ended at Real Madrid
Mbappé did not hide his disappointment after losing out in London, but there is still time to keep trying in a Real Madrid shirt.
The newspaper recalled that the French star finished fourth back in 2018, after winning the World Cup with France, behind Luka Modrić, Cristiano Ronaldo and Antoine Griezmann.
He went close again in 2020, after scoring 30 goals and providing 18 assists for Paris Saint-Germain, only for the award to be cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.
"Marca" closed its argument by likening the Ballon d'Or race to a long-distance run. Mbappé still has time to reach his goal, but he needs to marry his individual numbers with collective silverware at Real Madrid before his ambitions turn into an actual crowning.