2026 Ballon D'Or Race: Mourinho backs Mbappé over UCL and World Cup winners

José Mourinho has backed Kylian Mbappé for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, arguing that idiosyncratic brilliance should outweigh squad trophies. Mbappé’s record-breaking World Cup, positive his prolific La Liga and Champions League campaigns, strengthens his case. Mourinho insists the grant should recognise the world’s champion subordinate alternatively than automatically rewarding those who triumph the Champions League oregon World Cup.