Kylian Mbappe says he remains convinced he can win the Ballon d’Or after a season in which he claimed no silverware with Real Madrid and France were beaten by Spain in the World Cup semi-finals.
The 27-year-old forward told France Football that his individual performances should be considered separately from his teams’ results and that he believed he had done enough to be recognised as the world’s best player.
“I believe I can win it this year. It’s one of my goals, and a short-term one at that,” Mbappe said.
“People say I didn’t win a trophy for club or country, but it’s an individual award. I’ve never seen a Ballon d’Or winner elected unanimously.
“Has anyone ever won with 100% of the vote? That means there’s always someone who thought the winner didn’t deserve it.”
Mbappe scored 15 goals in the Champions League and 25 in LaLiga before adding to his World Cup total with France. He now has 22 goals in the competition, making him its all-time leading scorer.
France’s World Cup campaign ended with a 2-0 semi-final defeat by Spain.
Mbappe said his understanding of the Ballon d’Or had been shaped by the standards set during the era of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, when the award was reserved for exceptional players.
“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.”
Asked whether he considered himself a worthy winner, Mbappe gave an unequivocal response.
“There was no player better than me,” he said.
“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.”
He added that claiming the record had particular significance because he had overtaken Messi, whom many regard, alongside Ronaldo, as the greatest player in football history.
“It’s difficult to fully grasp what the World Cup means. It’s the competition of the great players, the stars, the greatest players in the history of the game,” Mbappe said.
“And to tell yourself that, at 27, I’m already the one who has scored the most goals...
“And it’s even more special because you take the record from Leo Messi, who for many people is the greatest player in history alongside Cristiano Ronaldo. It’s fantastic. That kind of achievement is different.”
Mbappe also welcomed Zinedine Zidane’s appointment as France head coach, following Didier Deschamps’ departure.
“For French people, he means a great deal - he’s a legend, he’s the nation’s ‘Zizou’, he represents elegance, greatness,” Mbappe said.
“He made his mark on the history of the national team as a player and he had some truly iconic moments.
“He’s perhaps the player who most embodies the France team. He’s one of those players who transcended generations. He left an indelible mark on the history of French football.”