Epitome of humility - Mbappe: "Who do I vote for to win Ballon d'Or? For myself!"

UEFA will announce the list of 30 nominees for the Ballon d'Or, and for the first time in years, there won't be a clear favourite to claim the prestigious honour. For some, Rodri is the frontrunner as the World Cup winner with Spain and the tournament's Golden Ball. Ruthless goalscorers like Erling Haaland and Harry Kane are always in the mix, while Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, arguably the best player of Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain, will be waiting in the wings for his chance. Of course, Kylian Mbappe will, as usual, be in the running, as well. 🚨BALLON D'OR NOMINEES DROPPING TOMORROW! The wait is finally over France Football will reveal the 2026 Ballon d'Or nominees tomorrow, September 8. 30 players. One ultimate prize. Mbappé? Kane? Rodri? Haaland? WHO ARE YOU EXPECTING TO MAKE THE LIST? #BallonDor — XtraScore (@XtraScoreHQ) September 7, 2026 The Frenchman broke Miroslav Klose's record, won the scoring battle with Lionel Messi, and became the World Cup's all-time leading scorer with 22 goals. Last season, he scored 42 goals in 44 appearances for Real Madrid, and despite failing to win a single trophy, he openly stated in an interview with France Football that he deserved to win the award. "I have a feeling I can win it this year, so I haven't distanced myself from that." "It's an individual award. It looks at what the player has done individually. People say I haven't won any trophies, but I've never seen a unanimous Ballon d'Or winner who met all the criteria every time." "I don't know if anyone has ever won with 100% of the votes. That means there's always someone who thinks they didn't deserve it." "Being the all-time top scorer in World Cup history, surpassing all the great legends in the history of sport in the most important tournament there is, is something that burns into your memory, a global event."