Kylian Mbappe is expected to be in the race to win this year's Ballon d'Or amid a stellar season with Real Madrid. The French forward has been one of Europe's most prolific frontmen and put in consistent performances for Los Blancos.
A 2-0 win over Villarreal on Saturday saw Mbappe bag a brace taking his tally for the season to 21 goals in 20 La Liga games. He has found the back of the net 34 times in 28 games across competitions a remarkable statistic.
Mbappe has never won the Ballon d'Or and he will surely be eyeing doing so come October when the awards ceremony takes place in Paris, France. His best finish came in 2023 when he finished third on the podium.
Ex-Real Madrid star on Mbappe winning Ballon d'Or
Madrid are still in contention to finish the season as La Liga and European champions. Alvaro Arbeloa's men sit second, a point behind leaders Barcelona with 17 games still to play including El Clasico at Camp Nou on May 10th.
Los Blancos are also through to the knockout rounds of the Champions League and occupy third place in the European standings. A 6-1 win over Monaco last week has fuelled talk of the club extending their record.
Eden Hazard thinks Mbappe's chances of winning the Ballon d'Or could depend on Madrid's success in those competitions. The Belgian winger said (via Madrid Xtra):
“Mbappe and Ballon d’Or? He will win Ballon d’Or. He needs to win Champions League… La Liga… or go far in World Cup. But he will win a Ballon d’Or at some point, of course."
Mbappe will captain France at the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico this summer. Didier Deschamps' Les Bleus are one of the favorites to win the tournament.
There's no doubt the 27-year-old has been a massive success throughout his career but a Ballon d'Or would just cement his legacy as an all-time great. If he fires Madrid to a La Liga title or Champions League glory then he will surely be the frontrunner.
Arbeloa hails Mbappe and Vinicius as world's best
While Mbappe has been sensational this season that hasn't been the case for Vinicius Junior. His Brazilian teammate endured a difficult spell under Arbeloa's predecessor Xabi Alonso and went 18 games without scoring until the 3-2 Supercopa de Espana final defeat to Barca.
But Arbeloa's appointment shortly after that game has led to Vinicius bouncing back and refinding form. He has been back to his best and that included a stellar showing in a 6-1 win against Monaco.
Vinicius also impressed in the win against Villarreal and Arbeloa hailed both the 25-year-old and Mbappe. He told reporters (via beIN Sports):
"They're the two best players in the world. Two very, very game-changing players. We try to get them on the ball as much as possible. Vini receives it out wide and Mbappe makes runs into space. I'm not going to tell you anything new about them."
Mbappe and Vinicius will need to continue stealing the show for Madrid if Arbeloa's side are to win a major trophy come the end of the season. They are thriving at a crucial stage of the campaign.