Mbappé leads the Ballon d'Or race
French star Kylian Mbappé, Real Madrid's striker, has increased his chances of winning next year's Ballon d'Or, following his impressive performances for the royal team. This was particularly evident in the recent El Clásico against Barcelona, which he led Real to a 2-1 victory. Mbappé is now the leading candidate for the prestigious award, ahead of Manchester City's Norwegian striker Erling Haaland and Bayern Munich's English star Harry Kane. Mbappé currently leads the La Liga scoring charts with 11 goals, cementing his position as the most influential player in Europe at the moment. Barcelona's young star Lamine Yamal and Mbappé's Real Madrid teammate, Brazilian Vinicius Junior, come in fourth and fifth place respectively. Despite Frenchman Ousmane Dembélé winning the Ballon d'Or this year after leading Paris Saint-Germain to the Champions League and domestic titles, observers believe Mbappé is on a firm path to the next award, especially if he succeeds in leading Real Madrid to another European title or shines at the 2026 World Cup.
