MADRID, 07 September, 2026 (Nosheen): Real Madrid forward and France captain Kylian Mbappe has welcomed growing speculation that he could win the Ballon d’Or this year following his outstanding performance at the FIFA World Cup. The 27-year-old scored 10 goals at the tournament to claim the Golden Boot, while his 22 career World Cup goals have made him the competition’s all-time leading scorer. Mbappe, who has yet to win the prestigious individual award, said playing for Real Madrid naturally puts him among the players considered for major individual and team honours. He acknowledged that his performances during the World Cup have strengthened his case but said the final decision would be determined by the voters. Since joining Real Madrid in 2024, Mbappe has scored consistently, although the Spanish giants have struggled to secure major silverware. The French star also admitted that he still has areas to improve and rejected comparisons with Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembele and Barcelona’s Raphinha, stressing that every player has different qualities. Responding to suggestions that he should sacrifice goals to help Real Madrid win more titles, Mbappe said he would gladly score fewer goals if it resulted in trophies, but insisted that scoring goals and winning titles can be achieved together.