France legend reveals Mbappe's fatal mistake in the Ballon d'Or affair

A harsh message

The Ballon d'Or debate rumbles on in France after Kylian Mbappé, the nation's biggest star, finished 28 points behind Harry Kane.

Former France international Bixente Lizarazu picked apart Mbappé's second-place finish on Telefoot, pinpointing what may have cost him the handful of votes he needed to claim the award.

He stated: "He gave us a wonderful World Cup. I thought he was a steady leader of the French national team, carrying a strong message for the squad. But after that, with the Ballon d'Or, he lost control completely. I did not like that at all."

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He continued: "He drifted towards an excessively individual stance, lacking humility, focusing on promoting himself and somewhat ignoring others. He gave the impression that he was the only one who mattered and that no one else existed. Did that harm him? I do not think so, because in the end, the decision was in the hands of 100 journalists from 100 countries."

The 1998 World Cup winner added: "Mbappé must now return to the French national team with a focus on collective work. Because whatever happens, it is the values of the team that will lead France to victory. And he is coming from a period in which he has not won any title with his clubs or national teams."

One final thought he left for the future, as reported by Marca: "You may score a lot of goals, but you have to help your team win. That is what matters most."

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