Kylian Mbappe believes this year represents his best chance of winning the Ballon d'Or after enjoying success at both club and international level. 

Mbappe is among the favourites to scoop the prestigious individual award in October after scoring 43 goals in 47 appearances in all competitions for Real Madrid last season. 

Despite his goal-scoring exploits, Mbappe was unable to lead Madrid to any silverware, while he also fell short at this summer's World Cup with France. 

However, he did make history at the tournament. Mbappe became the World Cup's all-time top scorer, taking his total to 22 goals in just 22 games in the competition. 

Mbappe's 14 goal involvements (10 goals, four assists) are also the most in a single edition of the tournament on record (since 1966), though France went on to finish fourth. 

The 27-year-old's highest ranking in the Ballon d'Or vote came in 2023 when he finished third while at Paris Saint-Germain, though Mbappe fancies his chances this time around. 

"I think when you play for Real Madrid, the best club in the world, people associate you with this award," he said. "There are many people that speak about me and the Ballon d'Or.

"Of course, I've made history in the most important competition. Maybe it's a good year for this, but people can vote according to what they think.

"I always think I'm the best [player in the world], but everyone has their own opinion. Maybe people think different ways. I don't think it's a discussion we need to have.

"Of course, this year could be good for me to win the Ballon d'Or. But journalists vote."

Mbappe is tipped to lift the award alongside Bayern Munich's Harry Kane and Lamine Yamal of Barcelona, with both players having the advantage of winning silverware last term. 

No player scored more goals across all competitions than Kane's 64 (including the Club World Cup), while he also lifted the Bundesliga title and the DFB-Pokal. 

He also netted six goals at the World Cup, with that only the third time an England player has scored six goals in a major tournament, after Gary Lineker (1986) and Kane in 2018.

Yamal, meanwhile, won LaLiga with Barcelona and scored 16 goals in the league, the joint-fourth highest tally in the division. His 225 completed dribbles were also more than any other player across Europe's top five leagues.

At 19 years and six days, Yamal also became the third-youngest player to play in a World Cup final, after Pele in 1958 (17y 249d) and Giuseppe Bergomi in 1982 (18y 201d), going on to help Spain defeat Argentina 1-0 at MetLife Stadium. 

Rodri, who won the award in 2024, is also in contention, while Fabian Ruiz is a surprise name in the mix after his success with Paris Saint-Germain, where he won Ligue 1 as well as the Champions League.