Ballon d'Or Should Reflect Individual Brilliance, Insists Mbappé as He Backs His Record-Breaking Season
“I believe I can win it this year. It’s one of my goals,” Mbappé said in an interview with France Football.
Xtratime Webdesk: Kylian Mbappé has made his Ballon d’Or ambitions crystal clear, and his latest comments have added plenty of fuel to an already heated debate. The France and Real Madrid forward has openly backed himself to win the prestigious individual award, insisting that his performances over the season make him a genuine contender.
“I believe I can win it this year. It’s one of my goals,” Mbappé said in an interview with France Football.
The statement is particularly bold considering that Mbappé’s season did not end with a major team trophy. Both France and Real Madrid failed to finish their respective campaigns with the biggest prizes, giving his critics an obvious argument against his Ballon d’Or case.
Mbappé, however, believes the award should primarily reflect individual performances.
“People say I didn’t win a trophy, but it’s an individual award. I’ve never seen a Ballon d’Or winner elected unanimously,” he said, questioning whether the absence of silverware should outweigh an outstanding individual campaign.
And Mbappé has numbers to support his argument. He scored 25 goals in LaLiga and added 15 in the Champions League, while his performances on the international stage further strengthened his claim. At the World Cup, he finished as the tournament’s leading scorer and took his overall tally to 22 goals, making him the competition’s all-time leading scorer.
Perhaps the most striking part of his comments came when he was asked who he would vote for in the Ballon d’Or race. His answer was simple: himself.
That response has only intensified the conversation around Mbappé and the award. While some may see it as excessive confidence, the Frenchman clearly believes his performances have put him among the strongest candidates. With his goalscoring numbers, World Cup record and impact for Real Madrid and France, Mbappé has presented a strong individual case. Now, the final decision rests with the voters, but Mbappé has already made his choice. He believes the Ballon d’Or should be his.
