Kylian Mbappé has made it into the top 10 footballers in the Ballon d'Or rankings for the eighth year in a row. This is an impressive achievement that no other active player who has never won the award can match.
Even with his standout performances year after year, the France captain has seen other players lift the top prize in football.
Here’s how Mbappé has performed in each Ballon d'Or edition since his first nomination. This information comes from the FIFA website and L’Equipe.
2017: Seventh Place on Debut as Ronaldo Shines
At just 18, Mbappé made his mark on the world stage by finishing seventh with 48 points. He helped AS Monaco win Ligue 1 and reach the UEFA Champions League semi-finals.
Cristiano Ronaldo took home his fifth Ballon d'Or after guiding Real Madrid to a La Liga and Champions League double, plus UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup wins.
Mbappé: 7th (48 points)
Winner: Cristiano Ronaldo
2018: World Cup Winner Finishes Fourth
Mbappé had an incredible year, winning the FIFA World Cup with France and shining as one of the tournament's stars.
Even with his achievements in Russia, he finished fourth with 347 points. Luka Modrić won the Ballon d'Or after leading Real Madrid to another Champions League title and Croatia to the World Cup final.
Mbappé: 4th (347 points)
Winner: Luka Modrić
2019: Back to Sixth as Messi Wins Again
After another great season with Paris Saint-Germain, Mbappé came in sixth with 89 points.
Lionel Messi won his sixth Ballon d'Or after helping Barcelona claim the La Liga title.
Mbappé: 6th (89 points)
Winner: Lionel Messi
2021: Lowest Finish of His Career
There was no Ballon d'Or in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
When the award returned in 2021, Mbappé had his lowest finish at ninth, with 58 points. Messi won his seventh Ballon d'Or after leading Argentina to Copa América victory, their first trophy in 26 years.
Mbappé: 9th (58 points)
Winner: Lionel Messi
2022: Benzema Takes the Prize
Mbappé returned to sixth place with 85 points after another successful season for PSG.
Karim Benzema was the clear winner after leading Real Madrid to La Liga and Champions League titles in a fantastic season.
Mbappé: 6th (85 points)
Winner: Karim Benzema
2023: His Best Finish Yet
After winning the Golden Boot at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Mbappé had his best Ballon d'Or finish, ending up third with 270 points.
But Lionel Messi secured his eighth Ballon d'Or after leading Argentina to World Cup victory in Qatar.
Mbappé: 3rd (270 points)
Winner: Lionel Messi
2024: Move to Real Madrid Does Not Bring Top Prize
In his first Ballon d'Or after joining Real Madrid, Mbappé fell to sixth despite scoring 420 points.
Rodri from Manchester City won the award after helping his team win the Premier League, Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, and aiding Spain in the UEFA Nations League.
Mbappé: 6th (420 points)
Winner: Rodri
2025: Another Top-10 Finish, Another Letdown
Mbappé finished seventh with 378 points, keeping his streak of top-10 finishes alive for eight consecutive years. Even after being La Liga's top scorer, Real Madrid's lack of major trophies hurt his chances.
Ousmane Dembélé won his first Ballon d'Or after leading PSG to Ligue 1, Coupe de France, UEFA Champions League, and UEFA Super Cup titles.
Mbappé: 7th (378 points)
Winner: Ousmane Dembélé
Mbappé has now set the record for the longest streak of top-10 finishes by a player who has never won the award. With Real Madrid not winning any trophies in the 2025-26 season, the 2026 FIFA World Cup might be his best chance to finally win football's biggest personal award.
2026 Redemption: Challenging Dembélé, Messi, or Spain
Mbappé has shown his Ballon d'Or quality again with a great FIFA World Cup campaign.
As France prepares for their semi-final match against Spain, the Real Madrid striker has scored eight goals, tying with Lionel Messi for the Golden Boot race.
He has also moved into the top three on the World Cup's all-time scoring list while continuing to excel in knockout matches.
If France wins the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Mbappé would be a strong contender for the 2026 Ballon d'Or.
The award often goes to players with outstanding personal performances and significant team success. Another World Cup win would help Mbappé's case after several near misses.
But he faces tough competition from teammate Ousmane Dembélé, who is already a frontrunner after his successful season with PSG.
For now, Mbappé's focus is on Spain.
Reports say France's World Cup semi-final against the 2010 champions is happening in Dallas. Didier Deschamps' team aims to reach their third consecutive FIFA World Cup final after winning in 2018 and finishing second in 2022.
Currently, they are trailing Spain by one goal thanks to Real Sociedad’s Mikel Oyarzabal scoring from the penalty spot.
Winning against La Roja would bring Les Bleus closer to another world title and potentially put Mbappé in the best position to claim the coveted Ballon d'Or.
Mbappé enters this match on the back of another strong club season.
In his second year at Real Madrid, the 26-year-old scored 43 goals and assisted seven times in 58 games, proving himself as one of Europe’s top attackers despite Madrid finishing the season without any major trophies.
These stats, along with his World Cup performance, keep him in the Ballon d'Or conversation. But the results of France's World Cup campaign could ultimately decide if he finally wins football's top individual honor.
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