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Despite going trophyless, Kylian Mbappe still made history this year

Despite coming up just short behind Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe still managed to make Ballon d'Or history for French players with his second place finish.

By Maximus Polek · The Real Champs

Published: Monday, 9 November 2026 at 1:00 PM

Key Things to Know

Kylian Mbappe became the first French player to achieve nine consecutive top-10 Ballon d'Or finishes.
Mbappe finished second behind Harry Kane in the 2026 Ballon d'Or voting, achieving his career-best finish.
He surpassed French football legends Michel Platini and Thierry Henry, who both recorded seven consecutive top-10 finishes.

The Story in 60 Seconds

Kylian Mbappe made Ballon d'Or history despite finishing second behind Harry Kane at the 2026 award ceremony in London. With this result, the Real Madrid forward became the first French player ever to earn nine consecutive top-10 finishes in Ballon d'Or voting, surpassing French icons Michel Platini and Thierry Henry, who each recorded seven.

The second-place finish marks Mbappe's career-best result, surpassing his third-place placement in 2023. During the 2025-26 campaign, Mbappe scored 42 goals in 44 appearances for Real Madrid and added 10 goals for France at the World Cup, earning three Golden Boots despite finishing without a team trophy.

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Despite going trophyless, Kylian Mbappe still made history this year

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