“Shows what kind of person he is”: former Ballon d’Or winner sharply criticises Kylian Mbappe and sees the same problem as with Cristiano Ronaldo
Former France international Jean-Pierre Papin has sharply criticised Kylian Mbappe for his comments ahead of the Ballon d'Or award.
"Mbappe's communication strategy has harmed him badly. It shows what kind of person he is," Papin said on former PSG star Jerome Rothen's Rothen s'enflamme programme on RMC Sport. He argued that the Real Madrid striker's highly aggressive approach had worked against him.
In recent weeks, Mbappe had repeatedly said publicly that he considered himself the leading favourite to win the 2026 Ballon d'Or, declaring: "No one was better than me last season." The Frenchman finished second, narrowly losing out to Bayern Munich goalscorer Harry Kane and leaving him still waiting for his first Ballon d'Or.
Given Mbappe's status as a Real Madrid superstar and captain of the French national team, Papin argued that he should not "need" to promote himself. "Mbappe reminds me a little of Cristiano Ronaldo: everyone else had to be at his service," Papin said, drawing a less than flattering comparison with CR7 over the 27-year-old's vanity.
Will Kylian Mbappe still win the Ballon d'Or? "It was not a question of now or never"
Papin played for Bayern Munich from 1994 to 1996 and won the Ballon d'Or in 1991 while at Olympique Marseille. The 62-year-old has no doubt Mbappe has the footballing ability to win it too: "In terms of efficiency, he is not far from what Cristiano Ronaldo achieved. But his communications campaign worked against him."
For Papin, Mbappe will win the Ballon d'Or one day. "He has the qualities needed for it. It was not a question of now or never. It was a good opportunity, yes, but he still has a way to go."
Mbappe is likely to be among the contenders for the Ballon d'Or again next year, when the current season will form the basis of the assessment. He has started the campaign with 14 goals and three assists in 13 appearances for Real Madrid across all competitions. Last weekend, his brace settled the Clasico away to arch-rivals Barcelona in Real Madrid's favour.
