THE FUSE

Didier Drogba, the legend of Ivorian football and the former presenter of the Ballon d'Or ceremony, spoke about the results of the 2026 edition of the award, shedding light on Kylian Mbappé's loss in the race for the title, after he finished in second place behind England's Harry Kane by a margin of just 28 points.

The England captain enjoyed a remarkable season, scoring 73 goals and providing 8 assists to fire Bayern Munich to three trophies: the Bundesliga, the German Cup and the German Super Cup. His standing among the finest strikers in world football is beyond doubt.

Kane became the first English player to win the Ballon d'Or in 25 years, since Michael Owen claimed the award in 2001.

Mbappé, for his part, dazzled at the World Cup. He led France to a fourth-place finish and topped the scoring charts with 10 goals, moving into sole possession of the top of the World Cup's all-time scorers list. Kane managed 6 goals and steered England to the bronze medal.

One of the biggest factors in Mbappé missing out on the award was a trophyless season at Real Madrid, while Kane dominated German football alongside the Bavarian giants.

Drogba, who counts the France captain among his favourite players, offered his own take on the defeat. He suggested Mbappé's public image and the sprawling media campaign around him may have hurt his chances.

Speaking to the newspaper "Le Parisien", Drogba said: "I think that if Mbappé had won the World Cup, he would have been crowned with the Ballon d'Or twice in a row."

He added: "It was very close, especially as he is producing excellent performances with Real Madrid. Harry Kane did not win the Champions League either, I don't know, I'm trying to understand what happened."

"It may also be connected to the negative image that has formed about him," the Ivorian continued. "In France, we deal very harshly with Mbappé in particular, and with players who hold clear positions in general, and Mbappé is that kind of player."

Some fans, Drogba explained, prefer quieter, less controversial players: "Sometimes we prefer players who present themselves in a more polite and composed manner, but there is no point in trying to change Mbappé's personality, because his true nature will show sooner or later."

His parting message was that Mbappé must hold on to his true self and refuse to put on a false front to please others. "He must stay true to himself," he said, "even if that means fighting a real battle for him."

Right now, Mbappé sits second on the list of La Liga's top scorers this season with 13 goals, behind Raphinha on 15.

Across all competitions, Mbappé has played 16 matches for Real Madrid this season, scoring 17 goals and providing 3 assists.