French journalist Bertrand Latour has attacked the possibility of Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé receiving the 2026 Ballon d’Or, arguing that the France captain should not be rewarded after ending the year without silverware.
Ballon d’Or debate
- Speaking on Canal Football Club on Canal+ on Sunday, before Monday’s Ballon d’Or ceremony in London, Latour said an award for Mbappé would be difficult to justify given his lack of trophies during the year.
- “You are all waiting for only one thing: for him to win the Ballon d’Or in a year in which he has won nothing,” Latour said on the programme.
- He added that such a result would amount to “a shameful Ballon d’Or.”
Mbappé remains one of the leading candidates for football’s individual award. However, the Real Madrid striker faces major competition from Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane and Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal.
