Kylian Mbappe only ‘top three’ in the world as ex-France international Bacary Sagna snubs Real Madrid superstar & Harry Kane when naming his 2026 Ballon d’Or winner

The title of ‘best player on the planet’ is usually bestowed upon someone that lifts a global title in World Cup year. That puts star turns for Spain very much in the picture, on the back of their success on North American soil this summer. Rodri - who won the Ballon d’Or in 2024 - and his new Barcelona team-mate Lamine Yamal will have their eyes on the prize.

Kane, who plundered 61 goals for Bundesliga champions Bayern last season, is another to have positioned himself towards the front of the queue, but he missed out on a Champions League triumph in 2026.

Paris Saint-Germain went back-to-back in that department, meaning that Ousmane Dembele could do likewise in the Golden Ball stakes, or a talented colleague at Parc des Princes could rise to the summit.

Sagna expects that to be the case. The former Arsenal, Manchester City and France defender - who was speaking in association with BetVictor Online Casino - told GOAL when asked if his fellow countryman Mbappe would deserve the Ballon d’Or as he is the best player in the world at present: “For me the best at the minute, he's in the top three. He had an amazing year and he is for me one of the best. But being a striker gives more chances to score, so more chances for the people to look at him favourably.

“For me, Kvara deserves the Ballon d'Or. For me, Kvara [Khvicha Kvaratskhelia] has been phenomenal and being a winger and having such an impact and successful campaign. Apart from winning the Champions League, I think football players will agree that Kvara was the most important player last season.

“Of course Kylian had an amazing World Cup and I was pleased to see him scoring so many goals, not only because he's French but because I love football and when I see him shining the way he's starting the season, that's his standard, that's his level and he is in the top few players. He might be the the top, the best player in the world, but the problem is how impactful were you for your team last season?”

Real Madrid have gone two seasons without winning a major trophy, despite seeing ‘Galactico’ frontman Mbappe win two La Liga Golden Boots and register 90 goals through 106 appearances.

Quizzed on whether the former Monaco and PSG icon will ever get his hands on the Ballon d’Or - having only made the top three of that poll once before - another former France international, Louis Saha, told GOAL recently: “That's a difficult one, because for sure he wants to win those trophies. He knows that by winning the Champions League, you have a greater chance to win the Ballon d'Or. He knows that that's the way to put all the qualities in front of the best eyes to be judged.

“I do understand that the pressure is on because now it's been almost a very controversial way of not being in those finals. He left the club that won it and now going to a club which is supposed to be one of the favourites, and they don't reach the finals.

“It's starting to question a little bit on the personal side. Let's say on the spiritual side, he seems to be a black cat in a way. So that's the bad line that he wants to rectify as quickly as possible.

“It's always nice to see someone succeed and reach their goals when they have the potential. I think he deserves it. Regardless of people criticising his style of play, he wants to have everything.

“Every situation needs to be about him and that's the proof of greats. But sometimes if things don’t work out, it's easy to criticise. If Cristiano couldn't convert all these trophies that he had over the years, he would have been doomed a long time ago.”

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