Kylian Mbappé has been awarded the Onze d'Or, the prize voted on by readers of French magazine Onze Mondial for the best player in Europe over the season. The Real Madrid forward succeeds fellow Frenchman Ousmane Dembélé, who won the award in 2025.
Onze Mondial pointed to Mbappé's standout campaign, highlighted by more than 40 goals and a historic 2026 World Cup in which he became the tournament's all-time leading scorer. Those achievements, according to the magazine, helped secure him the 2026 Onze d'Or.
Mbappé finished comfortably ahead of Paris Saint-Germain pair João Neves and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, both of whom played key roles in the club's Champions League triumph.
What it could mean for the Ballon d'Or
The Onze d'Or has often aligned with the eventual Ballon d'Or winner in the past, and this year's Ballon d'Or ceremony is set to be held in London seven days after Mbappé's award was announced. Mbappé is considered one of the leading contenders for the prize, though the 2026 Ballon d'Or race is described as one of the most wide-open in recent memory, with several realistic candidates still in contention.
Dembélé completed a double in 2025, winning both the Onze d'Or and the top individual honors handed out by France Football and UEFA. In 2024, the Onze d'Or went to Vinícius Júnior.
Lionel Messi holds the record with four Onze d'Or titles, while French greats Zinedine Zidane and Michel Platini have each won it three times. Cristiano Ronaldo has lifted the award twice.
