Thierry Henry names his Ballon d’Or favourite: “For me, it’s Mbappé”

Thierry Henry has named Kylian Mbappé as his choice for the 2026 Ballon d’Or. The former France international and Barcelona forward believes the Real Madrid striker was the best individual player of the season, despite finishing the campaign without its biggest team trophies.

Henry based his verdict on clear evidence. Mbappé finished as the leading scorer in LaLiga, the Champions League and the World Cup. He scored 25 league goals, added another 15 in Europe and then claimed the World Cup Golden Boot.

HENRY PRIORITISES INDIVIDUAL EXCELLENCE

“For me, it’s Kylian. When you see what he achieved individually…” Henry said during CBS Sports Golazo’s discussion about the award.

The former Arsenal captain acknowledged the main argument against Mbappé: the absence of major team silverware. He also noted that the Ballon d’Or has previously been awarded to players who did not finish the relevant period with a large collection of trophies.

Henry therefore views Mbappé’s candidacy through his sustained individual output. The Frenchman did not simply dominate one tournament or enjoy a brief scoring run. He finished top of the goalscoring charts in three major competitions for club and country.

40 GOALS ACROSS LALIGA AND THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Mbappé scored 40 goals in 42 appearances across LaLiga and the Champions League during the 2025/26 season. His World Cup Golden Boot added further weight to an already exceptional campaign.

The Real Madrid forward has also started the new European season in familiar fashion. He scored in Madrid’s 2-1 victory over Inter, taking his career total to 71 Champions League goals. That moved him level with Real Madrid legend Raúl in fifth place on the competition’s all-time scoring list.

Before the Inter match, Mbappé received the award for finishing as the leading scorer in the previous Champions League campaign. Luís Figo presented the trophy. A short time later, the Frenchman began another European campaign by finding the net again.

THE BALLON D’OR RACE REMAINS OPEN

Henry’s comments represent his personal assessment. They are not the official result of the award and should not be presented as confirmation of a formal vote.

Harry Kane, Rodri and Lamine Yamal are among the other leading candidates, and media rankings offer different interpretations of the race. The Guardian placed Mbappé third, behind Kane and Rodri, while Henry believes the Frenchman’s individual dominance should carry greater weight than his lack of team silverware.

There is an added touch to the endorsement coming from a former Barcelona player. Henry did not allow old club loyalties to interfere with a straightforward judgement: in his view, Real Madrid currently have the strongest individual candidate.

REAL MADRID’S FORWARD HAS A COMPLETE INDIVIDUAL CASE

The absence of a major team trophy could still prevent Mbappé from winning his first Ballon d’Or. It does not weaken the quality of his personal numbers. Finishing as the top scorer in LaLiga, the Champions League and the World Cup is a rare combination that requires little additional promotion.

Henry has made his choice. Mbappé’s goal against Inter suggests the Real Madrid striker has already started building his case for the next award as well.