Kylian Mbappe handed miniature Ballon d’Or after missing out to Harry Kane

Kylian Mbappe was given a miniature golden ball as he left the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony, prompting some supporters to view the gesture as mockery after the Real Madrid forward again missed out on the prestigious individual award.

Mbappe attended Monday evening’s ceremony in London hoping to win the Ballon d’Or for the first time in his career. He had enjoyed an outstanding individual season, finishing as the leading scorer in La Liga, the UEFA Champions League and the World Cup.

However, the award went to England and Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane. Mbappe finished second, losing by a narrow margin of votes, according to officials involved with the prize.

A video circulating online appears to show a girl approaching Mbappe as he departed the event and presenting him with the small commemorative trophy.

The France international accepted the gift and posed for a photograph with her. Some social media users nevertheless interpreted the moment as a joke at Mbappe’s expense, coming after he had once again failed to claim the Ballon d’Or.

The incident quickly attracted attention because of the contrast between Mbappe’s expectations before the ceremony and the final result. His scoring achievements across three major competitions had made him one of the leading contenders, but Kane narrowly finished ahead of him in the voting.

Mbappe’s second-place finish means he must wait longer for his first Ballon d’Or, while Kane secured the honour after edging the Real Madrid player in the final count.