No Player Was Better Than Him Courtois Makes Bold Ballon d’Or Claim For Mbappé

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has thrown his support behind Kylian Mbappé to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or, describing the French forward as the best individual performer in football over the past year.

According to Bush Radio Academy, Courtois made the remarks during an interview with DAZN on Wednesday, October 21, while acknowledging that Real Madrid’s failure to win major trophies could reduce Mbappé’s chances of claiming the prestigious individual award.

The Belgian goalkeeper maintained that Mbappé had delivered an outstanding individual campaign, despite the absence of silverware for the Spanish giants.

“Individually, no player was better than him this year, but sadly, we didn’t win any trophies,” Courtois said.

Mbappé has continued to produce impressive performances for Real Madrid, strengthening his case for the award. However, the club’s lack of major titles could prove a significant disadvantage as voters assess the leading candidates.

Courtois also identified Barcelona youngster Lamine Yamal as a strong contender for the honour, pointing to the teenager’s success in helping his team secure trophies.

The Real Madrid goalkeeper noted that although Yamal had a less impressive World Cup campaign than Mbappé, the Barcelona forward had the advantage of winning both a major title and the league.

“Lamine Yamal had a worse World Cup than Mbappé, but he won the title and won the league,” Courtois added.

The debate over the leading contenders is intensifying ahead of the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony, scheduled for Monday, October 26, at the London Palladium in the United Kingdom.

French football legend Thierry Henry and British broadcaster Kate Scott are expected to co-host the ceremony, where the world’s leading footballers will be recognised for their performances.

With Mbappé’s individual brilliance competing against the trophy-winning achievements of rivals such as Yamal, the final outcome remains a major talking point among football fans.