Mbappe arrives in London as Ballon d’Or hopes go down to the wire

Kylian Mbappe has arrived in London with his family and members of the Real Madrid delegation ahead of the 70th Ballon d’Or awards ceremony on Monday.

The France forward travelled to the British capital only hours before football’s most prestigious individual prizes are presented, according to Foot Mercato.

Mbappe remains in contention to win the award for the first time in his career, although he faces strong competition from Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal and Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane.

The Real Madrid forward heads to the ceremony after playing a decisive role in Sunday’s 2-1 victory over Barcelona in the Clasico. Mbappe scored both of Real Madrid’s goals in the match, which was played at Camp Nou in the 10th round of La Liga.

His performance in the fixture has added to the attention surrounding his Ballon d’Or candidacy, with the outcome expected to be closely followed by the Frenchman and his club.

Despite Real Madrid ending last season without a collective trophy, Mbappe produced outstanding individual numbers and established himself as one of the leading candidates for the award.

He scored 42 goals and supplied seven assists in 44 appearances for Real Madrid during the 2025-2026 season. Those figures underlined his attacking influence and his ability to decide matches, even as the club fell short in its pursuit of major honours.

Mbappe also enjoyed an impressive campaign with France at the 2026 World Cup. He scored 10 goals and provided four assists in eight matches, finishing the tournament as its leading scorer.

France, known as Les Bleus, eventually finished fourth, but Mbappe’s contribution reinforced his status as one of the standout players at the World Cup.

The award would represent the first Ballon d’Or of his career. His goalscoring record for both Real Madrid and France has kept him firmly among the leading contenders, while Yamal and Kane provide competition for the individual prize.