Henry sides with Mbappe
France Football unveiled the 30-man shortlist for the 2026 Ballon d’Or yesterday. Thierry Henry gave his verdict on CBS later in the day. His mind is made up.
“For me, it’s Kylian,” said the former France striker. That puts him alongside Jose Mourinho, the Real Madrid forward’s manager, who is also backing his player.
Mbappe, 27, isn’t hiding it either. He has openly put himself forward as a contender for the prize in recent days, and that has brought a few sharp replies in Spain and back home in France.
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Three golden boots and one awkward question
Henry is leaning on the numbers. “When you look at what he has done individually… top scorer in the Champions League, top scorer in La Liga, top scorer at the World Cup…”
He then brushes aside the main complaint, the lack of team silverware. “People will tell me he hasn’t won anything… I think some people should do their homework and they’ll find that some Ballon d’Or winners didn’t win a thing the year before they lifted the trophy.”
Olise right behind him
Henry doesn’t stop there. He puts Michael Olise in second place. “Olise has the same thing in terms of assists. It’s just ridiculous. I’d go with Kylian, with Michael Olise not far behind.”
One scenario, he says, could have changed everything. “If he had won the World Cup, I think Lionel Messi would have won the Ballon d’Or. And Michael Olise wouldn’t be far behind.” The 2026 World Cup ended up going to Spain. So the debate is still wide open between the two Frenchmen.
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