Mbappe completely snubbed! Ukraine's shocking Ballon d'Or vote leaves Real Madrid superstar out of top 10
One of the most surprising ballots in the 2026 Ballon d'Or voting has been revealed! Ukraine's representative completely excluded Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe from his top ten, despite the French forward finishing second overall and coming incredibly close to winning football's biggest individual prize.
Details: According to the voting results published by L'Equipe, Ukrainian journalist Ihor Linnyk placed Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Fabian Ruiz first, Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsi second and PSG winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia third. Arsenal's Declan Rice and Rodri completed his top five, while eventual winner Harry Kane was ranked only ninth.
The rest of Ukraine's selection included Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes in sixth, Lamine Yamal in seventh, Ousmane Dembele in eighth and Ferran Torres in tenth. The biggest talking point, however, was the complete absence of Mbappe, who had enjoyed an exceptional season with Real Madrid.
The decision looks particularly remarkable considering the final results. Kane secured the award with 1,055 points, while Mbappe finished with 1,027, losing by just 28. Every journalist selected ten players, and Ukraine's ballot awarded the French superstar no points at all.
Linnyk's first choice, Fabian Ruiz, ultimately finished tenth in the overall ranking, while Cubarsi placed twelfth. The voting demonstrates how differently journalists can evaluate the same season. Each national representative submits an individual ranking, meaning Ukraine's choices reflect its journalist's assessment rather than an official position of the country.
Reminder: Just 28 points! Shocking details emerge about Harry Kane's narrow Ballon d'Or victory over Mbappe.
Miguel Solomons
Dailysports's expert
