The Real Madrid forward drops his usual caution in a revealing interview with RFI

Interview published by RFI | September 2026

By The Matchday Pundit

A Rare Moment of Unfiltered Honesty
Kylian Mbappe has abandoned the careful diplomacy that usually surrounds Ballon d’Or season,
openly admitting that he would be disappointed if he fails to win this year’s award. Speaking in an
interview with the French broadcaster RFI, the Real Madrid and France captain said he can really feel
it is a good year for him, adding bluntly that when a competitor does not win, he is disappointed,
before declaring simply that he is competitive. It is a notably direct statement from a player who has
spent recent years being asked repeatedly about his Ballon d’Or prospects, and one that stands in
contrast to the more measured, hedged language many top footballers tend to use when discussing
individual awards that remain, ultimately, out of their own hands.

The comments arrive with the official shortlist of thirty nominees for the 2026 award already
confirmed, placing Mbappe alongside a formidable group of rivals that includes Lionel Messi, Lamine
Yamal, Rodri, Harry Kane and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. Rather than deflecting when asked how he
would feel about missing out, Mbappe chose instead to be unusually candid, acknowledging that not
winning would represent a hard blow to his personal ambitions and admitting that his competitive
spirit would be hurt if the trophy ultimately goes elsewhere.

Building His Case on Numbers Rather Than Sentiment
Central to Mbappe’s argument is a belief that individual statistical output should carry the greatest
weight when the Ballon d’Or is finally decided. He told RFI that he had a great individual year and
knows that is the most important criterion for the award, pointing out that he finished as the top scorer
across every major competition he played in during the season. That claim is not hyperbole. Mbappe
ended the campaign as the leading scorer in the Champions League, in La Liga, and at this summer’s
World Cup, a remarkable clean sweep across three of the most prestigious competitions in the sport.
He went further still in outlining his philosophy on what should decide the award, explaining that the
Ballon d’Or ultimately recognises a player rather than a team, and suggesting that while collective
achievements should not be entirely ignored, the ability to perform consistently at an individual level
and leave a lasting impression is what genuinely influences voters when a trophy of this stature is
being decided.

That framing is a notable one given the ongoing debate around Mbappe’s own candidacy. Real
Madrid finished the 2025 to 2026 season without a major trophy, a fact that has repeatedly been
raised by critics who argue that team success should remain central to any Ballon d’Or discussion. By
explicitly prioritising individual output over collective silverware in his own public reasoning, Mbappe
appears to be attempting to reshape the terms of the conversation itself, rather than simply hoping
voters overlook Real Madrid’s trophyless campaign when casting their ballots.

A World Cup Run That Strengthens the Argument
Mbappe’s case is bolstered considerably by his performances at this summer’s World Cup, where
France reached the semi finals before eventually finishing third. He topped the tournament’s scoring
charts with ten goals, extending his own remarkable record across successive World Cups and
further cementing his status as one of the most prolific players in the competition’s history. That kind
of sustained excellence on football’s biggest stage, layered on top of his domestic scoring exploits for
Real Madrid, gives Mbappe a statistical resume that few, if any, of his rivals for this year’s award can
realistically match on pure output alone.

It is worth noting the broader context surrounding the French national team as this Ballon d’Or race
unfolds. Zinedine Zidane has recently taken charge of France, retaining key players from the previous
regime including Mbappe himself, alongside Michael Olise and Ousmane Dembele, while introducing
fresh faces such as Liverpool defender Jeremy Jacquet, Como midfielder Lucas Da Cunha and
Rennes forward Esteban Lepaul. With France set to face Belgium away before hosting Italy at the
Stade de France on 2 October, Mbappe continues to carry considerable weight both for his club and
his country as this pivotal period in his career unfolds.

The Dembele Question and a Field Full of Rivals
Part of what has made Mbappe’s recent comments so widely discussed is the broader context of
tension surrounding this year’s award among France’s own contingent of nominees. Reports have
suggested that recent public statements from both Mbappe and his French teammate Ousmane
Dembele regarding the Ballon d’Or have created friction between the two players, with some
coverage describing the situation as having ignited a genuine feud. Despite that backdrop, Mbappe
used part of his RFI interview to insist there is no tension between the pair, suggesting he wanted to
address the speculation directly rather than allow it to overshadow his own case for the award.

Beyond Dembele, the field of contenders this year is widely regarded as one of the most open and
competitive in recent memory. Lamine Yamal arrives with a World Cup winner’s medal after starring
for a victorious Spain side. Harry Kane enters the conversation off the back of an extraordinary
seventy three goal season for Bayern Munich. Rodri and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia add further genuine
competition to the shortlist, while even figures outside the nominee list itself have weighed in publicly
on who deserves to win. Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone, for instance, has already named
Lionel Messi as his own personal pick, arguing that the Argentine’s performances at this summer’s
World Cup, despite Argentina finishing as runners up, should carry significant weight with voters
regardless of the team result.

A Player Unafraid to Say What He Wants
What makes Mbappe’s RFI interview particularly notable is simply the tone in which it was delivered.
Many elite footballers, when asked directly about their chances of winning a major individual award,
tend to retreat into safe, uncontroversial language about focusing only on team success and letting
the awards take care of themselves. Mbappe’s willingness to say plainly that he would be
disappointed to lose out, and to frame that disappointment explicitly in terms of his own competitive
nature, offers a rare and refreshingly honest glimpse into how much winning the award actually
means to him personally, beyond the usual diplomatic answers reporters are accustomed to receiving
on this topic.

That honesty carries its own risks, of course. Publicly declaring an expectation of victory can invite
criticism if the outcome does not go a player’s way, and Mbappe’s comments have already generated
considerable discussion across football media precisely because of how directly he addressed the
subject. Yet for a player who has previously suggested he felt his own claims to individual honours
were overlooked earlier in his career, most notably in 2018 when Luka Modric won the award instead,
this year’s blunt admission may simply reflect a player who feels he has waited long enough and is no
longer willing to hide his genuine ambitions behind careful, guarded language.

Five Points Worth Watching as the Vote Nears
The first point worth tracking is how voters ultimately weigh Mbappe’s explicit argument that individual
output should outrank collective trophies. If that framing gains traction publicly, it could shape not just
this year’s vote but future debates about how the award is judged more broadly, well beyond
Mbappe’s own candidacy.

Second, the reported tension with Ousmane Dembele deserves continued attention in the coming
weeks. Two French teammates both in genuine contention for the same individual prize creates an
unusual dynamic within the national team setup, and how Zidane manages that dynamic during the
upcoming Nations League fixtures could offer further insight into the relationship between the two
players.

Third, Diego Simeone’s public backing of Lionel Messi illustrates how even rival club figures are
willing to weigh in on this year’s race. Further endorsements or criticisms from prominent managers
and players over the coming weeks could meaningfully shape public perception heading into the vote.
Fourth, Real Madrid’s form between now and the ceremony could still matter regardless of Mbappe’s
own argument about individual criteria. A strong run in La Liga or the Champions League would blunt
the criticism around his trophyless campaign, while continued inconsistency would keep that narrative
firmly in play among sceptical voters.

Fifth, and finally, how Mbappe himself handles the scrutiny that comes with such a direct public
statement will be worth observing. Having placed his own expectations so clearly on the record, any
dip in form before the ceremony would likely draw considerably more attention than it otherwise might
have.

What Comes Next Before the Ceremony in London
The Ballon d’Or winner will be announced in London on 26 October, marking the first time the
ceremony has ever been held in the English capital. Between now and then, Mbappe will continue his
club and international commitments, with France’s upcoming Nations League fixtures against Belgium
and Italy offering further opportunities to add weight to his case in the eyes of voters. Whatever the
eventual outcome, his comments to RFI have already ensured that his pursuit of the award will
remain one of the central storylines running through the sport right up until the winner’s name is finally
read out in London next month.

Matchday Pundit