Mbappe lands in London for 2026 Ballon d'Or showdown Monday night
Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe has arrived in London ahead of the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony at the London Palladium on Monday night. The France captain enters as top favourite alongside England's Harry Kane and Spain's teenage sensation Lamine Yamal.
Current holder Ousmane Dembele, Mbappe's international teammate, will also attend but isn't tipped to retain the award. Mbappe's timing is impeccable—he scored twice in Real Madrid's 2-1 El Clasico victory over Barcelona this weekend, strengthening his case for a first-ever Ballon d'Or.
The ceremony kicks off Monday evening UK time. Mbappe has finished runner-up twice before (2018, 2022) and many believe this is his year after leading Real Madrid to La Liga and Champions League glory last season.
Will Mbappe finally clinch football's most prestigious individual prize after years of brilliant near-misses, or will Kane's goal-scoring records or Yamal's breakthrough season steal the spotlight?