Real Madrid Club believes that the crowning of the England or France national team with the 2026 World Cup title will grant one of its stars, Jude Bellingham or Kylian Mbappe, a great advantage in the race to win the Golden Ball "Ballon d'Or" award.
According to the Spanish newspaper El Debate, Real Madrid officials believe that England's victory in the World Cup will make Bellingham the frontrunner to win the award, while France's crowning with the title will work in Mbappe's favor, making one of them the closest to claiming the Golden Ball.
The newspaper added that the Royal Club's management bases this view on what happened in 2024, when Spaniard Rodri won the Golden Ball award ahead of Brazilian Vinicius Junior, after his victory with the Spanish national team in the Euro 2024 title played a decisive role in tipping the scales in his favor during the award race.
France has set a date in the World Cup semi-final against the Spanish national team, while the English national team will face the Argentine national team in the same round.
Mbappe has scored 8 goals in the tournament so far, sitting atop the 2026 World Cup scorers' chart, while Bellingham sits in fourth place with 6 goals.
