Kylian Mbappé has extended his remarkable Ballon d’Or consistency after finishing among the world’s top 10 players for an eighth consecutive year without winning football’s most prestigious individual award.
The France captain placed seventh in the 2025 rankings, continuing a run that began in 2017 during his breakthrough season with AS Monaco.
Over the past eight editions, Mbappé has consistently featured among football’s elite, with his highest finish coming in 2023 when he placed third behind Lionel Messi.
Despite starring for Paris Saint-Germain and later Real Madrid, the 26-year-old has repeatedly been edged out by players whose teams enjoyed greater collective success, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modrić, Lionel Messi, Karim Benzema, Rodri and Ousmane Dembélé.
His latest campaign was another impressive one, producing 43 goals and seven assists for Real Madrid despite the Spanish giants finishing the season without a major trophy.
Mbappé has also carried that form into the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where he entered France’s semi-final against Spain with eight goals, level with Lionel Messi in the race for the Golden Boot.
A World Cup triumph could finally provide the missing ingredient in his pursuit of the Ballon d’Or, an award that has historically favoured players who combine outstanding individual performances with major team success.
While Dembélé and several Spanish stars remain strong contenders, Mbappé’s consistency and another exceptional World Cup campaign have once again placed him firmly among the favourites.
