Mbappé turns his Ballon d’Or quest into a political campaign

Like a presidential candidate, Kylian Mbappé is running an electoral campaign aimed at the Ballon d’Or, while his club suffers a 2‑1 defeat to Atlético de Madrid, the same evening he appears completely transparent on the pitch.

He presents himself like a politician, declaring that Africa is his final target to get elected as the world's best player.

"They are not going to announce a team in the envelope. They are going to announce a player. The ability to perform individually and to burn the retina, that's what captures people for a trophy like the Ballon d’Or," said the captain of the French team to RFI.

Kylian Mbappé accuses the media of feeding the Ballon d’Or myth

The interview was conducted last Friday, but it only appeared after his club's defeat to Atlético de Madrid, 48 hours later, a match where Mbappé remained transparent.

"What he says in this interview is pure demagogy. He arrives with garlands, confetti. You can see him from a thousand kilometres away. He looks like a stolen car," judged journalist Daniel Riolo on Monday evening on RMC.

Ceremony and outsiders

The Ballon d’Or ceremony will take place on Monday 26 October in London, on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the trophy in tribute to Stanley Matthews. The French international, who did not win any major trophy the previous season, is among the outsiders, behind Lamine Yamal and Harry Kane.