Alex Kirkland and Sam Marsden Oct 27, 2026, 10:00 AM ET Barcelona's Lamine Yamal and Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappé were both on the podium when the men's Ballon d'Or was announced, but both left disappointed. Less than 24 hours after competing in El Clásico -- where Mbappé scored both Madrid's goals in a 2-1 win at Camp Nou -- they were in London to see Harry Kane take the main prize. Mbappé, the tournament's all-time leading scorer with 15 World Cup goals, and Yamal, who won with Spain, performed well individually last season, but it wasn't enough.
Kane's long road to glory ends with crowning moment. Mbappé finished fourth in 2018, third in 2023 and second this year, but first place still eludes him. Real Madrid won nothing last season, finishing behind Barcelona in La Liga for the second year in a row, and Mbappé is yet to win a major club trophy.
In the World Cup, France were dismantled by Spain in a one-sided semifinal. Yamal, 19, is a teenager, yet there was a level of disappointment. For Mbappé to win in 2027, a Real Madrid revival is needed, starting with winning La Liga or the Champions League.
Source: ESPN Soccer · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing