Samuel Umtiti Backs Kylian Mbappé for Ballon d’Or: “He Deserves It”
Former France international and Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti has thrown his support behind Kylian Mbappé in the race for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, insisting that the Real Madrid forward deserves the prestigious individual award after an extraordinary season for both club and country.
Umtiti was asked who he believes should win this year’s Ballon d’Or and gave a clear answer: Kylian Mbappé.
“Who should win the Ballon d’Or? Kylian Mbappé,” Umtiti said. “What he did last season was incredible, both for his club and for France, scoring so many goals. He deserves it.”
A remarkable individual campaign
Mbappé’s case is built largely around his extraordinary goalscoring numbers throughout the 2025/26 season and his performances on the international stage.
For Real Madrid, the Frenchman finished the campaign with 42 goals in 44 appearances across all competitions, while also becoming the top scorer in LaLiga with 25 goals. He additionally finished as the Champions League’s leading scorer with 15 goals.
His Champions League campaign was particularly remarkable. Mbappé scored 15 times in 11 appearances, including 13 goals during the league phase alone. UEFA confirmed that he finished as the competition’s outright top scorer.
Those numbers have placed Mbappé firmly among the leading contenders for football’s most prestigious individual prize.
World Cup success on a personal level
Mbappé also produced a remarkable individual performance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Real Madrid forward finished the tournament as the Golden Boot winner after scoring 10 goals, becoming the first player to win the World Cup Golden Boot twice. He also increased his overall World Cup goals tally to 22, making him the competition’s all-time leading scorer.
Although France did not reach the final, Mbappé’s individual numbers further strengthened his Ballon d’Or case.
His performances also contributed to another major milestone: he became France’s all-time leading scorer during the 2025/26 campaign. UEFA noted that Mbappé had reached 58 international goals by June 2026.
Umtiti’s endorsement adds to the debate
Umtiti’s comments come at a time when the 2026 Ballon d’Or race features several elite candidates.
Mbappé is among the 30 nominees announced for the men’s award, alongside players including Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Ousmane Dembélé, Lamine Yamal, Rodri, Erling Haaland and Lionel Messi. The ceremony is scheduled to take place in London on October 26, 2026.
The debate is particularly interesting because the Ballon d’Or is an individual award, meaning exceptional personal statistics can play a significant role even when a player’s team does not win every major trophy.
Mbappé himself recently argued that his individual achievements should be considered despite Real Madrid and France not collecting the biggest trophies of the season. He pointed to his 15 Champions League goals, 25 LaLiga goals and record-breaking World Cup tally as evidence of his credentials.
A season built around goals and records
One of the strongest arguments surrounding Mbappé is the consistency of his production across different competitions.
His 2025/26 figures included:
- 42 goals for Real Madrid in all competitions
- 25 LaLiga goals
- 15 Champions League goals
- Champions League top scorer
- LaLiga top scorer and Pichichi winner
- 10 World Cup goals
- 2026 World Cup Golden Boot
- 22 World Cup goals overall
- France’s all-time leading scorer
These figures illustrate why Umtiti believes Mbappé has done enough to merit the award.
The Ballon d’Or race remains open
While Umtiti has made his personal preference clear, the 2026 Ballon d’Or race remains a competition involving several players with strong individual and team achievements.
Harry Kane, for example, enjoyed an outstanding season with Bayern Munich, while other nominees such as Jude Bellingham, Lamine Yamal, Rodri and Ousmane Dembélé have also produced notable campaigns. The final decision will ultimately be determined through the Ballon d’Or voting process.
For Mbappé, however, the numbers tell an impressive story.
After years of being regarded as one of world football’s biggest stars, the French forward delivered another season filled with goals, records and individual milestones. His performances for Real Madrid and France have now placed him firmly in the centre of the Ballon d’Or conversation.
And for Samuel Umtiti, there is little doubt about where his vote would go.
“Kylian Mbappé.”
In Umtiti’s view, the combination of Mbappé’s goals, consistency and impact for both club and country makes him deserving of football’s most coveted individual honour.
