Kylian Mbappé has just taken a symbolic stage in his career: for the seventh consecutive time, he appears in the top 10 of the Ballon d'Or. This figure, more than a statistical detail, illustrates the consistency and requirement of a player who has never left the world elite since 2018. The 2020 edition, canceled due to the pandemic, does not change the regularity of the French striker.
Mbappé approaches Benzema
Le Bondynois, in Real since last year, can now boast of an unprecedented series for a player born after 1995. From his 7ᵉ place in 2018 to his 5ᵉ place this year, including a podium in 2023, Mbappé has always been able to stay in the discussion among the best. This regularity distinguishes it internationally, no other player of his generation having succeeded in such a continuity in the Ballon d'Or.
In France, only Karim Benzema does better with 12 consecutive appearances in the Top 10, between 2011 and 2023. Mbappé, with his 7 editions of rank, already exceeds Antoine Griezmann or Michel Platini in this very special ranking. If he does not yet have the national record, he remains the youngest to have reached this level of persistence, confirming his status as an early icon.
An underestimated accomplishment
Beyond collective trophies, this constancy in individual evaluation is a strong brand. It testifies to a rare capacity to maintain itself at the top for almost a decade. In a football where generations are renewed quickly and where physical wear is watching, Mbappé shows mental and sporting endurance which already registers it in line with the greatest.
At just 26 years old, the French striker can still extend this series and aim for other heights. If he wants to catch up or exceed Benzema, he will have to continue to perform regularly in the biggest meetings. In the meantime, this 7ᵉ consecutive presence in the top 10 of the Ballon d'Or constitutes a new brand, a milestone reminiscent that the story of Mbappé with this trophy is still far from being written.
