Mbappe claims nobody was better than him last year
Kylian Mbappe feels he is well worthy of winning this year's Ballon d'Or, insisting no other player performed better than he did during the judging period.
Mbappe did not win a trophy with either Real Madrid or France over the past year.
However, he did win the golden boot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, scoring 10 goals to take his overall tally at the finals to a staggering 22 in 22 games, which is a new record.
Mbappe has netted seven goals in six matches for Madrid so far this season, bagging a brace and an assist in its 4-1 win over Rayo Vallecano in LaLiga.
Mbappe thinks the time is now for him to win football's biggest individual accolade.
"I believe I can win it this year," Mbappe said in an interview with France Football, carried by French media outlet L'Equipe.
"It’s one of my goals, and a short-term one at that.
"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. Has anyone ever won with 100 per cent of the vote? That means there's always someone who thought the winner didn't deserve it.
"There was no player better than me. We were talking about achievements.
"To score that many goals in the major competitions, where all the great players are, and of course at the World Cup, the biggest event, to become the competition’s all-time leading scorer – throughout my holidays, that was all people talked to me about."
Mbappe also feels he now falls into the same category of eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi and five-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo.
"My idea of the Ballon d’Or comes from the Messi and Ronaldo era – you don’t give it to ordinary players, you give it to players who are different," he said.
"I think I did things that were different this year, so I believe I can win it."
Kylian Mbappé Lottin
Real Madrid CF
