Kylian Mbappe went trophyless in his first two Actual Madrid seasons, however hopes World Cup objectives increase Ballon d’Or bid.
Printed On 12 Sep 2026
Kylian Mbappe stated he nonetheless believed he was worthy of the Ballon d’Or award regardless of failing to win any silverware with Actual Madrid throughout the season, whereas France’s World Cup marketing campaign ended with a semifinal defeat by Spain.
In an interview with France Soccer, the 27-year-old hailed new France coach Zinedine Zidane and stated he believed his performances merited recognition because the world’s greatest participant.
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“I consider I can win it this 12 months. It’s considered one of my objectives, and a short-term one at that,” Mbappe stated. “Individuals say I didn’t win a trophy (for membership or nation), but it surely’s a person award. I’ve by no means seen a Ballon d’Or winner elected unanimously.
“Has anybody ever received with 100% of the vote? Meaning there’s all the time somebody who thought the winner didn’t deserve it.”
Mbappe scored 15 objectives within the Champions League and 25 in La Liga earlier than taking his World Cup tally to 22, changing into the competitors’s all-time main scorer, though France’s marketing campaign resulted in a 2-0 semifinal defeat by Spain.
“My thought of the Ballon d’Or comes from the Messi and Ronaldo period – you don’t give it to strange gamers, you give it to gamers who’re completely different. I believe I did issues that have been completely different this 12 months, so I consider I can win it.”
Requested if he thought he could be a deserving winner, Mbappe was adamant.
“There was no participant higher than me. We have been speaking about achievements. To attain that many objectives within the main competitions, the place all the good gamers are, and naturally on the World Cup, the largest occasion, to grow to be the competitors’s all-time main scorer – all through my holidays, that was all individuals talked to me about,” he stated.
“It’s tough to completely grasp what the World Cup means. It’s the competitors of the good gamers, the celebs, the best gamers within the historical past of the sport. And to inform your self that, at 27, I’m already the one who has scored essentially the most objectives…
“And it’s much more particular since you take the file from Leo Messi, who for many individuals is the best participant in historical past alongside Cristiano (Ronaldo). It’s improbable. That sort of achievement is completely different.”
The ahead praised the appointment of 1998 World Cup winner Zidane, who succeeded Didier Deschamps as France’s head coach.
“For French individuals, he means an incredible deal – he’s a legend, he’s the nation’s ‘Zizou’, he represents class, greatness. He made his mark on the historical past of the nationwide workforce as a participant and he had some really iconic moments,” Mbappe enthused.
“He’s maybe the participant who most embodies the France workforce. He’s a kind of gamers who transcended generations. He left an indelible mark on the historical past of French soccer.”
