Ballon d'Or 2026: Mbappé can benefit from second-place finish, says Diaz

Mbappé finished second in the 2026 Ballon d'Or behind Harry Kane; analyst Diaz believes the setback will motivate him to pursue collective trophies with Real Madrid.

Kylian Mbappé finished second in the 2026 Ballon d'Or voting, behind Harry Kane, marking his best individual finish after nearly eleven years as a professional. The 27-year-old had mounted a media campaign in recent weeks to win the award.

Analyst Kévin Diaz, speaking on RMC's After Foot programme, saw the result as ultimately beneficial for Mbappé's career trajectory. "He's someone who is determined. He's in a team that has quality and with a manager playing his last chance. It's now or never for José Mourinho and that works well because it's also the case for Kylian Mbappé," Diaz said. "He has two or three years ahead of him where he'll still have fire in his legs."

Diaz argued that missing out on the award this year will push Mbappé to focus on team success rather than individual accolades. "If he'd won the Ballon d'Or this year, it would have justified career choices and maybe even excessive individualism," Diaz explained. "Now he'll have to go and get it." He concluded that Mbappé must win either the Champions League or World Cup to secure a future Ballon d'Or, noting that recent winners have been carried to the award by collective success.