Papin says Ballon d’Or votes hurt by Mbappé’s self‑promotion
Jean-Pierre Papin, the 1991 Ballon d’Or winner, told France Télévisions on Monday that Kylian Mbappé’s recent media blitz should keep him out of the award, which will be presented on 26 October in London. The votes for the 2026 Ballon d’Or have closed, and Papin’s pronostic now adds a new twist to the ongoing debate.
Papin’s criticism of Mbappé’s media strategy
Papin explained that Mbappé’s “communication continues to crisper” and that his own self‑promotion – “moi, moi, moi et moi” – has become “too much for me”. He argued that the criterion of media conduct does not favour the French forward, despite his on‑field achievements.
“Harry Kane, there is nothing going wrong today,” Papin said, contrasting the English striker’s calm demeanor with Mbappé’s flamboyant approach. He added that he would not award the trophy to Mbappé “because of the com’”, referring to the Real Madrid star’s media tour in the days before the vote closure.
Statistical backdrop to the controversy
Mbappé finished the season as top scorer in La Liga with 25 goals, topped the Champions League tally with 15 goals, and became the all‑time World Cup top scorer with 22 goals across three tournaments. Yet, despite these records, Papin believes the award should go to the 33‑year‑old English striker, Harry Kane.
Ballon d’Or: Papin drops Mbappé for Kane
Papin also highlighted other candidates: Ousmane Dembélé, the double European champion with PSG, and 19‑year‑old Lamine Yamal, world champion with Spain, are both in contention. He noted that no clear favourite has emerged this year.
“Kylian, I like you a lot, you are a man of records,” Papin admitted, before warning that “at some point it becomes ‘me, me, me and me’”. He stressed that the Ballon d’Or is decided by an international jury of journalists from the 100 highest‑ranked FIFA nations.
After the break, PSG resumes its march towards the Champions League
The 70th edition of the award will be handed out on Monday 26 October in London, with the winner determined by the largest support from the global press panel.