Ballon d’Or Shake-Up: Mbappe Leads as Lamine Misses the Podium
The French star is dominating L'Équipe’s poll ahead of the award ceremony, while Lamine Yamal sits outside the top three.
Kylian Mbappe has emerged as the clear favorite in L'Équipe’s poll to choose the next Ballon d’Or winner. The French forward leads the voting with the ceremony set for October 26 in London.
The poll once again places Mbappe at the center of the race for football’s biggest individual prize and reflects the strong support he continues to receive after another season at the highest level.
While the poll does not determine the official result, it offers a snapshot of where the race stands and strengthens the sense that Mbappe enters the final stretch with significant backing over the rest of the contenders.
Lamine Yamal sits outside the top three
The biggest surprise comes with Lamine Yamal. The Barcelona youngster, widely viewed as one of the leading candidates in recent months, does not feature among the top three in the poll.
His absence from the podium is particularly striking given how prominent he has been in the Ballon d’Or conversation, although this vote does not decide the eventual winner.
Kvaratskhelia and Kane complete the podium
Behind Mbappe are Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Harry Kane, who complete the top three in the ranking published by the French outlet.
Their presence underlines just how competitive the race remains, although Mbappe has managed to open up a significant gap in this particular poll.
A poll that adds fuel to the debate
The L'Équipe result does not represent the official Ballon d’Or vote and offers no guarantee over who will lift the trophy in London. It does, however, provide an interesting snapshot of the race and adds another layer to the debate with the ceremony approaching.
With Mbappe on top and Lamine outside the podium, the poll gives the Ballon d’Or race another talking point before the final answer arrives on October 26.
What the poll says about the Ballon d’Or race
- Mbappe leads the voting published by L'Équipe.
- Kvaratskhelia and Kane complete the top three.
- Lamine Yamal sits outside the podium despite being one of the most talked-about contenders for the award.
