Only 28 points split the two in the final tally. Kane finished with 1,055 points to Mbappe’s 1,027 in the full voting breakdown published by France Football. Lamine Yamal came third with 881, ahead of Rodri on 726.
According to Sports Illustrated, Kane’s victory was the fourth-closest result in the award’s history, and tighter than Rodri’s 41-point win over Vinicius Junior in 2024.
Zidane spoke about Mbappe on Sunday on the French TV programme Telefoot.
“Mbappé was disappointed, because he deserved to win the Ballon d’Or, that’s for sure,” Zidane told Telefoot.
Kane picked up 40 first-place votes to Mbappe’s 23. The England captain’s 2025/26 season at Bayern Munich returned 73 goals for club and country, and he collected the trophy at the London Palladium, the first Englishman named Ballon d’Or winner since Michael Owen in 2001.
Mbappe’s top-scorer honours
Mbappe’s runner-up finish came after a campaign in which he retained the Pichichi Trophy as LaLiga top scorer and claimed the World Cup Golden Boot as France reached the semi-finals before losing to eventual winners Spain, per Yahoo Sports.
He scored 42 goals in all competitions for Real Madrid, who finished the season without a major trophy.
“Everyone has their preferences about the winner. He finished second, you just have to accept the results,” Zidane added on Telefoot.
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Mbappe returns from injury
Mbappe has recovered from a spell on the sidelines and is included in Zidane’s 23-man France squad for this international break, with Paris FC forward Pablo Pagis earning a maiden call-up.
France face Italy at the San Siro on Thursday, 12 November, before hosting Turkey on Sunday, 15 November, in their final Nations League group-stage fixtures. A win in Milan would put the French in line for first place in the group and a quarter-final berth.
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