Pascal Ferré says Kylian Mbappé’s trophy drought leaves the Ballon d’Or vote sour
Kylian Mbappé continues to champion his own Ballon d’Or case while former France Football director Pascal Ferré openly questions whether the 27‑year‑old striker deserves the award after a season without trophies at Real Madrid or with the France national team. Ferré, who oversaw the Ballon d’Or for years, told Ouest‑France that the lack of collective success leaves him “hungry for a more convincing winner”.
Ferré’s criticism of the French captain
Pascal Ferré, the ex‑director of France Football and the Ballon d’Or, argued that Mbappé has added no line to his honours list, neither with Real Madrid nor with the Bleus. He said, “In the list of thirty, there are three or four who have not won any trophy. Kylian Mbappé is one of them. I do not see how the world’s best player can be missing all collective trophies.”
Ferré added that football is a collective art and that a Ballon d’Or winner should have helped his team reach the pinnacle of at least one major competition. “The World Cup and the Champions League are the two benchmark events in a season. If a player has not won either, even if he scores everywhere, it leaves me on my hunger,” he explained.
Mbappé’s self‑promotion campaign
Meanwhile, the captain of the France national team has launched an active media campaign, repeatedly highlighting his individual performances and his status as the top scorer of the Coupe du Monde. Over the past weeks he has asserted loudly that he is the favourite for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, which will be presented on 26 October in London.
Kylian Mbappé: parties in Paris, cycling in Spain and Ballon d'Or
Mbappé’s arguments focus on his personal statistics with Real Madrid and his World Cup scoring record, hoping to offset the absence of club or international trophies. His outspoken stance has irritated some observers, but he remains steadfast in his belief that his individual brilliance should carry him to the award.
Ferré’s voting intention
In a separate interview with Ouest‑France, Ferré disclosed that he intends to cast his vote for Lamine Yamal, the Barcelona winger who will win the 2026 World Cup with Spain and boasts a richer trophy cabinet. Ferré praised Yamal’s “palmarès” and “virtuosity on the pitch”, suggesting that collective success outweighs personal goal tallies.
Ferré also criticised the growing trend of candidates using repeated media appearances to sway jurors, describing it as “bizarre” and “unlikely to influence the judges from Peru, Finland or Cameroon”. He warned that such self‑promotion could fatigue the voting panel.
Real Madrid's discreet support for Mbappé for the Ballon d'Or
These contrasting viewpoints – Mbappé’s self‑asserted candidacy versus Ferré’s demand for collective achievement – underline a deeper debate about what truly defines the world’s best footballer in an era where individual brilliance often eclipses team success.