Kylian Mbappe has spoken about the race for the Ballon d’Or, emphasizing that the award primarily recognizes the individual performances of footballers. The Frenchman is one of the leading candidates, alongside Barcelona star Lamine Yamal.
The Real Madrid forward, speaking in an interview with RFI, openly discussed his chances of winning the prestigious individual award. Mbappe stressed that the Ballon d’Or is awarded to an individual footballer, not a team, highlighting the importance of individual statistics and performances.
“They are not going to announce a team in the envelope. They are going to announce one player. The ability to perform individually and shine is what impresses people when it comes to a trophy like the Ballon d’Or,” Mbappe said.
The Frenchman has impressive statistics in his favor. He finished the season as La Liga’s top scorer with 25 goals, while he scored 15 goals in the Champions League.
Meanwhile, with 10 more goals during the summer, Mbappe reached 22 goals across three World Cup tournaments.
“I have been the top scorer in all the major competitions, and I think this could be a good year for me. I feel good about it,” the French star said.
Lamine Yamal is also in the race for the Ballon d’Or, having been one of the key figures for both Barcelona and the Spanish national team.
Alongside them, Ousmane Dembele, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Rodri are also among the players mentioned as candidates.
The duel between Mbappe and Yamal is expected to be one of the most discussed aspects of the race, with the Frenchman having already made it clear that individual statistics should carry significant weight in determining the winner.
Mbappe also spoke about the change in the France national team’s dugout. Didier Deschamps has brought his long tenure in charge of “Les Bleus” to an end, while Zinedine Zidane has taken over as head coach.
The Frenchman praised Deschamps’ work, saying that he “made history” and took the national team “where it deserves to be.”
“Now it is a new chapter with a new coach. It is the beginning. We will have to find our rhythm, but we will be tested immediately and we will have to start winning again right away, because that is what people expect from us,” Mbappe said.
Zidane has also confirmed that Mbappe will continue to wear the captain’s armband for France.
