‘There Was No Player Better Than Me’: Mbappe Makes Bold Ballon D'Or Claim, Cites Messi And Ronaldo Record

Kylian Mbappe has made his Ballon d’Or ambitions unmistakably clear. Despite ending the season without a major trophy with Real Madrid or France, the 27-year-old believes his individual numbers and World Cup exploits put him firmly in contention for the prestigious award.

In an interview with France Football, Mbappe argued that the Ballon d’Or is an individual honour and said he remains confident of winning it this year. His case is built around an extraordinary scoring record that is 25 goals in La Liga, 15 in the Champions League and 22 goals at the World Cup, making him the tournament’s all-time leading scorer.

Mbappe: ‘There was no player better than me’

“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 per cent of the vote? That means there’s always someone who thought the winner didn’t deserve it.”

Mbappe's confidence goes back to the era dominated by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. He believes the award should recognise players who produce something extraordinary rather than simply those with a collection of trophies.

“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. I think I did things that were different this year, so I believe I can win it.”

Asked directly whether he deserved to win, Mbappe did not hesitate.

“There was no player better than me. 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 said.

Messi record, Zidane praise and France’s new era

For Mbappe, overtaking Messi’s FIFA World Cup scoring record carries particular significance. He said reaching 22 goals at the tournament at just 27 years old was difficult to fully comprehend, especially because the record previously belonged to a player he considers among the greatest ever.

“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. 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 coach, describing the 1998 World Cup winner as a national icon who represents elegance, greatness and the history of French football. Zidane has succeeded Didier Deschamps as France’s head coach.

The Ballon d’Or race will ultimately be decided by the voters, but Mbappe has made his position clear. France Football’s official winners list shows Ousmane Dembele as the 2025 recipient, meaning Mbappe is still chasing his first Ballon d’Or.